Family Reunion
by DoccubusBoLove
Summary: Lauren just returned to her family home after serving two years in the British Army as a war photographer. The whole family is there to welcome her home, but, Dyson brought home his new girlfriend and it is none other than Bo herself. Drama, fear and love unfolds in this story as these girls find themselves in a bind.
1. chapter 1

Family Reunion

Chapter One

Home Sweet Home

* * *

 **N: Hey guys, I know I've been completely missing in action. Exams were crazy but it's over now and I have the whole vacation to write. I know I said I would be publishing a Fae story, but it's very complex and I'm still working on its plot, but it's coming along. So, during the exams, I wrote the first chapter of this story, and I've decided to run with it. I'll try my best to publish as frequently as possible. I hope you like this, read, enjoy, and review, it'll let me know if it's worth continuing.**

 **As always, any and all mistakes are mine, it's easy to miss something small.**

* * *

During the most terrible of times, the heart chooses one like its own to call home. When one is broken, the soul will choose the place where it can feel safe. When one is truly in love, there is no choice, either you love, or you die, there is no in between.

* * *

Chapter 1

"Are you all settled in ma'am?"

I glanced up the flight attendant, red lipstick accompanied her warm smile as she hovered at my seat. I gave her a polite smile, "I'm all set, thank you."

She nodded, making her way to the passengers in front of me to ask the same question. I sighed heavily and leaned back again, rubbing my temples as my eyes grew heavy. We were ready for takeoff, and I was more than prepared to get some sleep. These last few days had been a nightmare, I still had horrid flashes of what I had witnessed almost three months ago, making me wonder how long it was going to take me this time to return to normal.

I was tired, not just physically, but emotionally as well, and I had made a promise to my parents that this was my last trip, that I wouldn't join up again after this. I was silently grateful that they had forced me to make that promise, because I couldn't go through another round of getting to know the soulful soldiers of the British Army, only to have them blown to pieces a week later. I couldn't keep walking around, pretending to shield myself behind a lens to capture horrific scenes that were supposed to stay on the battlefield where they belonged. I was ready to hand over my uniform.

I fiddled with my hands as the plane started moving, my senses were heightened and everything seemed to be drawing my attention, every crunch of a chip bag, the slight clinking of ice in glasses, even the soft chatter of everyone around me had me on alert. My thoughts were clouded, and I was still trying to figure out what had gone so horribly wrong that night, it caught me and everyone else around me off guard and I knew that it was going to bother me until I figured it out. I just had to.

 _You're coming home, that's all that matters, focus on the positive and the bad things will flee._

My mother's words danced around in my head, over and over again until I started dozing off, my eyes falling shut ever so slowly.

* * *

I jerked awake when a soft hand landed on my shoulder, and I was staring at the same red-lipped woman I had spoken to before, "I apologize, ma'am, I didn't mean to startle you, but we've arrived."

"Thank you." I uttered before she left, and noticed that I was covered in a red blanket. The plane was already halfway cleared out when I stood up.

I grabbed my travel backpack, making my way out of the aeroplane as soon as I could, smiling at the flight attendant as she waved me off. I was in desperate need of fresh air and the moment my feet made contact with the ground, I felt an enormous amount of tension leave my shoulders. It felt good to be surrounded by people who weren't a threat, safety was a given here.

I made my way through the airport, mostly keeping to myself as I eyed the people around me, I knew that a car would be waiting for me out front, my father always sought to that and the thought of being in his company made me quicken my steps. I had missed my family dearly, and I knew that my mother would be making a big deal of my return, I had asked her politely not to, but she always did her own thing anyway.

I approached the car, and our trusty driver, Frank, was waiting for me with a huge smile on his face, "Lauren my girl, welcome home."

I smiled at him when he opened the back door for me, "It's good to be back, you look good, I see Linda has been keeping you on your toes."

I was referring to the fact that the thick beard he always carried was gone, Linda, his wife, had been complaining about it for as long as I could remember, and he had been working for us for many years. He smiled, "Oh you have no idea kiddo, I still think she's crazy, but I love her too much to refuse her wishes."

"Always a hopeless romantic." I said with a slight smile as I got into the backseat.

Frank closed the door and went around to his side, and when he was seated he reached over to the passenger's seat and retrieved something. He turned to me, a sincere smile on his ageing face, "This is for you."

I reached over and accepted the note from him, frowning in the process, "What is this?"

A slight laugh escaped his throat, "It's from your lovely mother, she asked that you read it on our way to the manor."

"Oh goodness."

He turned forward again and started up the car, "We'll be home in no time, so start reading kid."

I shook my head at him and leaned back against the leather seat as we pulled out of the airport. I pulled at my moss green button down in an attempt to make myself more comfortable, and I started tearing at the off-white coloured envelope. Slipping out the thin sheet of paper, I realized that my mother had written it by hand.

 _Lauren_

 _It is so difficult to get a hold of you when you're so far away from home. I'm so happy that you are finally home, I've missed you to the ends of the earth, and I intend on keeping you here as long as possible. Now I know you are not fond of parties, so I arranged a small get together for your arrival, everyone is excited to see you, and your brother came home to spend time with you before you escape him again. I can't wait to see you my little bug, hurry home._

 _Yours sincerely_

 _Mother_

I smiled at her letter and folded it back up, idly wondering if she was going to stick to her word of hosting a 'small get together'. Knowing her there were going to be people at our house that I probably had never even seen before, but I wouldn't have it any other way, my mother always had a way of making everything a joyful experience, no matter what the circumstance.

I stuffed the letter into my backpack and returned to my comfortable position, pulling my sunglasses down from my hair to shield my eyes from the penetrating sun. It was the middle of spring and the beautiful flowers that greeted us every April was standing proud, giving life to the shamrock green lands as they passed us by. England truly was a breathtaking place, and in my opinion, Exmoor, the part of England where I had grown up was the most beautiful part. It was surrounded by mountains and vineyards lined the open land, a peaceful place to start a family.

I was very privileged to have such a place to call my home.

I looked up at Frank, his eyes were glued to the road like the responsible driver he was, and I smiled at the sight of him. He was like family to me, he had been driving me around since I was fifteen and I learned a lot from him over the years. I had always been convinced that he was the human thesaurus on wise decisions because I could write a book with all of the advice he had given me over the years. Even while growing up he listened to the little bit of high school drama I had to dish out and vent about, always ready with a solution or soothing words that made me feel better. He checked his rearview mirror and caught my eyes, a slight wink came my way before he returned his gaze to the quiet hills we were currently driving in.

Trees lined the road, throwing peaceful shade into this late afternoon as I returned home after all this time, and when we rounded the corner, the main gate to my childhood home came into view. I stretched to the middle of the car to gaze at the familiar golden letters on the black witch gate that read, _Lewis Vineyard 1987._ The gate groaned of old age as it opened slowly, and the car wheeled in.

The long stretch of gravel road that led up to the house felt like a trip down memory lane, and when we neared the house, I gazed up at the massive alabaster white, two-story manor, smiling when we came to a stop. The moment my brown combat boots made contact with the gravel, I inhaled deeply, relishing in the smell of nature all around me.

Sandy, Raven and Max, our three German Shepherds came running from around the house, barking at full force as they charged at me. I smiled from ear to ear as I bent down to greet them, running my hands through their soft, thick coats as they ran around me, tails wagging in excitement. My heart was beating out of control, the excitement of being home was overwhelming me, and it felt like I was already on the verge of crying.

"Here you are kiddo," Frank said as he stood next to me with my suitcase in hand. "It's time."

I turned around, still smiling and pulled my backpack out of the car and joined him, "Let's do this."

Simultaneously we started for the front door, gravel crunching under our weight. Frank opened the door for me, and I stepped inside with him short on my trail to stop the dogs from entering. The house was quiet, the only audible noise coming from outside was laughter, and I immediately smiled as the eagerness to see my family took over. The smell of lavender potpourri filled the air around me, reminding me of the gruesome smell I had to endure for such a long time, and I shook my head, pushing out the unwanted thoughts so I could appreciate this moment.

"I'll take your things to your room, go say hi." He said as he slipped my backpack off of my shoulders, winking in the process. I gave him a grateful smile and watched him disappear upstairs.

Inhaling deeply, I allowed my feet to carry me forward, the old wooden floors slightly squeaked as I made my way to the large open slide doors.

The moment I appeared on the patio, I heard a loud gasp, "Lauren Amelia Lewis!" my mother shot up from her seat, arms wide open as she ran towards me. I accepted her immediately, meeting her halfway as I wrapped my arms around her. It was like everything was happening in slow motion, and I felt more tension leave my shoulders. She had a death grip on me like I would disappear if she let me go. She laughed as she held me, "My little bug, you're home."

I could hear her trying to hold back tears as she held onto me for dear life, and I whispered to her, "I'm home, mom."

She pulled back, staring at me with glossed eyes as she held me at arm's length. Her hands came up and she touched my face like she was checking that it was really me, "Welcome home my love."

I smiled at her, and my gaze shifted to the man standing beside my mother, "Dad." I said in a low breath as I accepted the hug he was hinting at. I disappeared in the safe confines his arms offered me, feeling my own eyes gloss over. He pulled back and kissed me on my forehead, "It's about time you came home, I've been waiting a very long time to drink that Irish whiskey."

I laughed him, realizing that nothing had changed about him while I had been gone, "It feels good to be home." I stated happily.

"You damn well better be!"

I turned around when the boyish voice filled my ears, and I had no time to prepare for impact because Dyson embraced me in a rib-crushing hug that lifted me off of the ground within a heartbeat, and just then, I felt complete

Dyson set me down, holding me steady as he stared at me in disbelief, "You're an idiot, do you know that?"

I smiled at him, shaking my head as the rest of the guests joined us on the patio to welcome me home.

* * *

My mother had outdone herself, like always. I couldn't have asked for a better way to be welcomed home. Even though I initially preferred a quiet entrance, the small party she threw together gave me a lot of satisfaction. I had missed my family a lot, and I was happy to be back.

My expectations were correct, I met three new individuals this afternoon. All of them, new employees of my father which he valued deeply. I didn't talk much while we were eating, I observed everyone as they interacted with one another, enjoying the peaceful atmosphere that settled around the table. I was hesitant to answer certain questions involving my time in Afghanistan, luckily Dyson knew me well and he took the attention off of me every time someone asked about it.

"Lauren." My mother's voice broke my brief flashback of this afternoon, and I stared at her with a questioning look.

She smiled at me, "Can I have that plate please?"

I snapped back to reality and realized I was clinging to the white dinner plate, I handed it over to her as she washed everything up.

Clearing my throat, I rested my elbows on the island behind her, "You've made a lot of changes to the house."

"Oh just a few things here and there, you're room is still untouched if that is what you are asking."

I smiled, shaking my head slightly, "I wasn't, but thank you."

My mother dried her hands and came to stand across from me. She mimicked my actions, resting her elbows on the marble top as she eyed me, "How was your flight?"

"It was up to standard," I said, avoiding her questioning gaze that was asking more than she initially voiced.

"Lauren-"

"Mom not now please," I begged, I knew she wanted to ask me about everything that happened, and I didn't want to talk about it.

She shook her head slightly, "I just wanted to say that I'm here if you need to talk about everything. I love you, bug. I cannot explain how worried I was, please, don't do that to us again."

I pushed off of the island, "Do you need help with anything else?"

She sensed defeat, and sighed lightly, "No love, I'm nearly finished here. Would you like a cup of tea?"

"No thank you. I think I'm just going to head upstairs and take a shower, call it an early night."

She nodded at me, obviously holding her tongue, and I smiled at her before retreating up to my room. I walked slowly down the long hall, eyeing the photos that hung from the walls as I listened to Dyson laughing downstairs about something with my mother.

It felt good to be home.

My room was still just as I had left it two years ago, and I crept inside quickly, closing the door behind me. Nostalgia hit me straight in the face when I caught sight of all of my travel and X-files posters on the walls, my books lying around everywhere and my desk was strewn with old photos that needed attention.

Two years didn't seem like much, but when you had to spend every day in a place that spared no mercy for a single soul, a month felt like a year.

I walked over to my backpack, lifting it off of the ground to find my phone, it was dead, and I needed to get in touch with all of my friends that I left behind, and I needed to know how my studio was doing back home in Canada. I plugged my phone in, relishing in the sight of the little white apple as it greeted me. I pulled my camera out of my bag, realizing that that needed to be charged as well. With a heavy sigh, I left it on my bedside table with my phone and sauntered over to my desk, taking a seat in the wooden chair.

I had no idea why I had left it so untidy, usually, my photos were organized and in their designated folders in my drawers. I picked up a few, they were photos I had took of the mountain view we had in the backyard, I raised my brows at how different these photos were from the things I had been photographing in Afghanistan. These were beautiful and peaceful compared to what that camera on my bedside table has seen.

I sighed as I got up, there was a bathroom attached to my room, and I was in desperate need of a shower where I didn't have to hurry up to save the warm water. When I stepped into the shower, I allowed the water to beat away some of my fatigue, wondering if I would be able to sleep through the night. It felt strange to be back, I felt different, and my mother sensed it. It wasn't my intention to cut her short earlier, I knew she was being her motherly self, but I didn't want to talk about the war with her. It was stories that were better left untold.

I left a puff of steam behind me when I left the bathroom, feeling refreshed and ready for bed. I relished in the soft feeling of my grey sheets, silently giving thanks to the fact that I was lucky enough to be home right now, and it wasn't long until sleep fell over me like a blanket.

* * *

" _I won't fucking ask you again!"_

 _His thick accent rang in my ears, echoing through this hellhole and increasing my fear with each passing second that he stood before me, demanding an answer. I had nothing to say, I couldn't say anything, I had to protect my people. I had no choice other than to sit here and take his blows._

" _Answer me!"_

 _I swallowed down the blood in my mouth, feeling nauseous at the unpleasant taste. My vision was blurry, and my chest was hurting. It was taking everything I had not to cry, I couldn't show any weakness._

 _He screamed out of frustration at my silence and turned around, coming at me for the fourth time with his bloodstained fist raised high in the air._

I coughed loudly, gasping for air as I shot upright in my bed. Everything around me was a buzz, there was no sound, only terrible memories that rang through my ears like his parasitic voice did. I kept my eyes shut, too scared that my dream would become the reality I barely escaped. My breathing was heavy, and I realized that I was clasping my sheets for some form of recognition that I was indeed in a safe place.

I opened my eyes slowly, my room was dark, and instantly everything felt impersonal and cold. Tears escaped and trickled down my cheeks without my permission when I realized that that quick dream had invoked feelings in me I had tried so desperately to avoid at the war hospital. But I was holding back, resisting the urge to cry further. If I broke down now I knew I wouldn't be able to get up and out of this bed. I needed to take a shower because I was sweating like I was back under the blistering sun of that sand ocean.

I took a shower and changed into my favourite pair of old Star Wars pyjama pants and a white V-neck T-shirt, it was in the bottom of my drawer and I was surprised that my mother had kept it. As far as I knew she gave old clothes away every Christmas to the needy. For some reason the combo made me feel safe and calm. I glanced at the digital alarm on my bedside table, it was around four in the morning. I sighed heavily, I knew I wouldn't be getting any more sleep.

I tiptoed down the hall, silently making my way downstairs for a glass of milk. I enjoyed the silence of the house as I moved about, I was happy to be back but I was also enjoying my time alone, I knew Dyson would be interrogating me tomorrow. He was relentless when it came to my life and all its events.

The kitchen light was on, and I frowned as I neared the entrance, my parents never kept any lights on, especially not at this hour where the chickens weren't even up yet. But as I rounded the corner my foot caught something large and heavy, and the next thing I knew I was falling, hitting the wooden floors with a force I was not prepared for.

"Dammit," I exclaimed when I tilted the small of my back off of the kitchen floor, squinting at the sharp pain that shot up my spine.

"Oh my God I'm so sorry." A worried voice broke the silence I thought I had, filling the air around me and making all my senses come alive by the sound of it. I looked up, only to see long brown hair flowing around me and a face that was above mine, a very beautiful, unexpected face, "I'm sorry, I should've left my bags at the door." she apologized.

I blinked profusely, not listening to a word she was saying, too shocked at the sight hovering above me. She looked like something you would wish for in the middle of the battlefield, an angel to be your safe haven. She frowned when I said nothing, and her brown eyes widened in realization. She moved away from me, her hair gracing my face as she sat back on her knees next to me. I sat up quickly, backing away slightly as my eyes adjusted to the bright light of the kitchen I just fell into. I looked around, rubbing my back and settled my gaze on the woman who just hovered over me seconds ago.

Big brown eyes were boring into mine with a strong sense of genuine worry and amusement, she was sitting straight, legs folded as she watched me like I was some sort of creature she had never seen before. This woman, a complete stranger was sitting across from me on the cool floors at four thirty in the morning, half smirking at me after her bags just made me bust my ass, and yet I was the one feeling uncomfortable in my own skin. I frowned, scratching my head as I pushed some of my hair out of my face, I was confused like I had never been before.

"Who are you?" I questioned as I looked around the kitchen, seeing a half-empty glass of milk on the island, and it made my mouth water.

The woman raised her hand in greeting, accompanied by a girl next door smile, "I'm Bo."

I stared at her, feeling sceptic at the fact that she was being so… chirpy with me, it was something I hadn't had to do within a long time. Reluctantly I took her hand in mine, and a quick wave of shock hit me when I felt her skin against mine, she was warm and soft. I felt awkward immediately and pulled my hand out of hers, she was dressed in a really nice button down, her hair loose and flowing tamed but wildly around her face, and here I was, sitting in Star Wars pyjamas with half wet meandering hair, "Lauren." I said while looking anywhere but at her, in fear that she would pick up on my embarrassment. "Mind telling me why you're in my kitchen?" I asked in a rather sharp tone.

She smiled, once again presenting me with a perfect set of pearl white teeth, and something in my stomach twisted, "I'm Dyson's girlfriend. I was supposed to come later but I wanted to surprise him."

I frowned, raking my brain for information, I wasn't aware that he was in a relationship, but then again I did ask him not to write to me again after I received a letter from him a month into my first trip, I didn't want to think about home while I was at that forsaken place. I nodded in false remembrance, "I see, well maybe leave your bags somewhere else the next time you decide to surprise him."

She raised a perfectly plucked brow at me, "I didn't think anyone would be up at this hour. In all the times I've been here nobody has ever been up before I was."

I stared at her, how many times had she been here exactly? She said it with such ease, which could only mean one thing, she and Dyson were serious, serious to the point where he brought her along every time he came home to visit. I shifted slightly, "Still, keep that in mind next time."

She nodded, a slight smirk on her perfectly symmetrical face, "Noted." Her eyes flashed up to the island then and back at me, "But as much fun as this is, can we get off of the floor now?"

Realizing we were actually still on the floor, I started getting up, my eyes quickly running over this woman as she stood up with me, and I couldn't help but let them linger for a few seconds, she had a strong build and exotic olive skin under the dim lighting of the kitchen, she looked like a model that just fell right from a magazine. I kept my eyes down then, suddenly feeling nervous in her presence and started fidgeting with the hem of my shirt.

"I'm sorry for leaving my bags in the way." She said, keeping her hands at her sides in a slightly nervous way.

I looked at her, nodding slightly, "You'll be forgiven if you fix me a glass of milk, you seem to know your way around by the looks of this." I was taken aback by my own sudden burst of confidence, unsure of where it had come from, and my fidgeting worsened.

Her smirk returned as she eyed me, and she turned on her heals swiftly while heading to the fridge. I watched her as she poured some milk into a patterned glass. She was so calm and collected, meanwhile, I was half shaking and freaking out at the fact that Dyson was actually in a relationship, and with her of all people, he never dated brunettes.

She held the glass out to me, shaking me from my internal conversation with my subconscious, and I stepped forward slowly, accepting the glass from her, "Thank you."

"So you're Dyson's sister." She asked while leaning on her elbow on the marble top.

It wasn't a question, more like an unsure statement, and I nodded slowly while taking a sip of my milk, enjoying the feeling of it as it slid easily down my throat. Bo smiled at me as she eyed me over the rim of her glass, brown eyes boring into mine like she was studying me, "Dyson mentioned you once or twice."

"Once or twice?" I asked.

"Well more than that but he never really tells me much."

I nodded, Dyson respected the fact that I was a private person, "How long have you been seeing each other?" I asked to take the attention off of me so my nerves could take a damn walk.

"Around seven months, this is my third time here."

I couldn't deny the fact that this situation was incredibly awkward, I came down here for a glass of milk and instead I was met with this woman who couldn't stop smiling at me, claiming that she was Dyson's girlfriend when he had always gone for blondes. I knew I had missed a lot but I was afraid that this was going to be the cherry on top. But, she sure was something, she possessed features you only saw on famous people walking the red carpet like they were taking a stroll in the park.

"You don't talk much do you?" her head was tilted at an angle that made it look like she was extremely amused by my awkwardness. I was also aware that we were standing quite close to each other, which only kicked my heart into overdrive, causing it to tell me to down that glass of milk and get the hell out of the kitchen.

I finished off my drink and set it down in the sink behind me, I was acting completely strange and I knew it. But she had completely caught me off guard. I needed to get back upstairs before I made Dyson's girlfriend uncomfortable with my own radiating sense of discomfort. I gave her an awkward side glance as I slowly made my way to the exit, "It was nice meeting you."

"Likewise." She stated flatly, her head still tilted with gleaming eyes. I nodded quickly then and turned to leave, "Oh and Lauren."

I turned back around slowly, cursing under my breath that she would just stop talking to me before I made a complete fool out of myself. Her smirk was in full force now, "Nice pyjamas."

I felt my cheeks redden, and I felt like a deer in headlights. I didn't say anything, just tucked a strand of my blonde hair behind my ear before retreating back up to my room, scolding myself to hell and back as I climbed the stairs, because could I have acted any more… unnatural?

* * *

I awoke to the sound of blissful, out of the stomach laughter coming from downstairs. I peeled my eyes open, frowning at the fact that my short nap only left me feeling more tired, and just as predicted, it was only around seven when I rolled over and eyed my digital alarm. I sighed out loud, I wasn't in the mood to get up, I was feeling groggy and sleepy, and that was never a good thing with me, it had me feeling borderline cranky.

I shifted slightly, feeling a small sense of pain at my lower back, and my thoughts drifted to earlier this morning. I threw my arm over my forehead when I recalled my awkward behaviour. In all honesty, I was more shocked at the fact that that woman was so good looking, not because she was a complete stranger drinking our milk. I contemplated the fact that she was actually Dyson's girlfriend, how that happened I had no idea, he had always been into blondes only, it was even part of his stupid list of dating rules he made up in high school, he lived by those few sentences like it would land him in jail if he didn't. So I thought my confusion to be rather acceptable, he got weirder by the day, yes, that was what it was, his weirdness was taking a turn for the worst.

I groaned at my own stupidity and pulled myself out of bed, rubbing my back as I trudged over to my dresser to dig for some decent clothes. I ended up throwing on black skinny jeans, a white button down and my boots from yesterday. I ruffled my hair as I looked at myself in the mirror, I had slight dark circles under my hazel brown eyes, shouting that I was sleep deprived to any soul who would bare a second to glance at me. It was not the look I was going for. Rolling my eyes, I sprayed on some perfume and left my room, silently asking my subconscious why I had been so stupid two years ago, only to come up short like I always did when that question popped into my head.

I reached the first floor of the manor, and comfortable chatter filled my ears, it was coming from the kitchen. I walked slowly down the hall, and when I rounded the corner without falling this time, my eyes widened. Literally, everyone was in the kitchen, my father, my mother, Dyson, and the one and only Bo herself. I took a second to look at them all, they were interacting so comfortably, like this was a regular thing. But my second of observation passed in the blink of an eye when my father spotted me.

"Good morning sleepy head." He announced loud and clear, causing everyone to look at me.

Dyson was the first to reach my side, and he had an excited smile stretching from ear to ear on his boyish face, "Thank God you're up, there's someone I want you to meet." As he grabbed my shoulders and pulled me forward, giving me no time to think, and Bo turned around, setting her cup of coffee down on the island. When her eyes met mine, she smirked at me, and I couldn't understand why she was amused this time. Dyson squeezed my shoulders out of excitement and cleared his throat, "Lauren, this is Bo, my girlfriend."

Bo's eyes were soft and open, betraying the smirk she was issuing my way. She held her hand out to me for a second time then and nodded, "It's a pleasure to meet you, Lauren."

I frowned slightly that she hid the fact that we already met, and raised my hand as well, placing it into the soft grip of her warm hand, "Nice to meet you."

Dyson laughed in excitement next to me, causing me to drop my hand from Bo's. He took two steps and threw an arm around her shoulders smiling at me like he had just won the lottery, "Now I have my two favourite girls with me.

"Yes enough now," my mother came up from behind him, waving her hands in dismissal. She smiled her mommy smile and hugged me quickly, "How's my bug, did you sleep okay, would you like some breakfast?"

I eyed her warily, confused as to why she was treating me like I was in the third grade again. I nodded slowly, "Tea first, then breakfast."

"Thought so." She said as she walked back to the island and picked up two large plates, "Howard take these to the table for me would you, and Dyson will you take this tray please?" Both my brother and my father scrambled to oblige, accepting the plates with delicious foods on them and rushed out of the kitchen. I inhaled as they passed me, and my stomach woke up from its cave and grumbled.

"Bo, you were saying about your mother?"

I looked up at my mother who was busy chopping fruit and then at Bo who was staring me down with a smirk. I frowned at her, unaware of why this woman was acting so strange around me when she had only known me for like four seconds. Her head snapped to the side then, and she turned around to face my mother while picking up her cup of coffee, "Yes, she literally stopped the judge mid-sentence to make her point."

I moved around the tall brunette woman to the kettle so I could fix myself a cup of tea while listening to her speak, "I think I got my ability to say what I want to say in a courtroom from her, she has never been afraid of speaking her mind, and I admire that about her."

"Well, you should give yourself some more credit, judging by the way you put that coordinator in his place when he tried to pull a fast one on me only shows that you'll exceed your mother's expectations."

I quickly put two and two together that Bo and my mother had formed a close bond through the times Bo had been here with Dyson. It idly made me wonder what his intentions were for their future, he seemed to be pretty serious about her because he had never been that excited to introduce me to one of his ladies.

"Well people should know their place, and someone should think twice before trying to con you for more money."

"Of course," my mother agreed, "And now I have you in the family to look out for me."

I raised a brow at that last comment, was she being serious?

"Lauren." She called out.

I turned around, swirling the teaspoon in my steaming cup, looking at her with raised eyebrows. She glanced at me quickly before returning her attention to the fruit, "Would you mind taking this bowl to the table for me?"

I set my tea down and nodded, feeling Bo's eyes on me as I moved to grab the bowl of fruit. I made direct eye contact with Bo when I passed her, and shook my head when I rounded the corner, what was up with her? She was acting strange and she had no reason to, she didn't even know me. I pushed the thought to the back of my head as I entered the room, coming face to face with a smiling Dyson as he wiggled his brows at me. I sighed, this was going to be a long morning.

* * *

To my luck, breakfast had passed quickly, and I only had to answer one or two questions about unimportant things as most of the conversation was about my father and the recent success he reached with the vineyard. Apparently, he had created a new brand of wine and everyone was in love with it, which was why we would be hosting a party at my mother's country club to present it to the community. My father had respect for everyone around him, and due to that and all of his success, everyone in our community respected him as well.

I was surprised, there was so much that actually changed while I was gone, and it kind of made me feel like an outsider as I sat at the dining room table I sat at every day while growing up. It was not a pleasant feeling, and it only made my crawl further into my shell. I knew it was stupid of me to feel this way, leaving had been my own choice and I should have expected change, but I didn't expect the different demeanour everyone had. Throughout breakfast I could feel Bo's eyes on me every now and then, I was utterly confused about what her problem was, she was a complete stranger to me and she was eyeing me like I was walking around with her biggest secret, afraid that I would spill it to the first person who would listen.

I could see that my mother was boiling with questions she knew were better left unanswered, and I kept avoiding her stare. She knew to keep her distance, and I respected that, but I could see that she was having a hard time keeping her distance from me. I, myself didn't even know if I had the strength to talk about everything. That was a horse I would tackle in my own time.

Dyson and my father had gone to the main winery office to settle some business while my mother washed everything up, Bo was short on her trail, eager to help while making small talk. That gave me a chance to escape silently back up to my room. I had forgotten about my phone, and it was now fully charged along with my camera and I knew I would need to get in touch with Tamsin as soon as possible. My camera lit up like a Christmas tree when I graced the power button and I felt a strong twinge of happiness in the pit of my stomach. I was in serious need of photographing anything outside of the army barracks that weren't desert creatures or murder and war scenes.

Trotting downstairs, I made my way out back and walked slowly over the thick green grass, enjoying the way my feet sunk in ever so slightly. Everything around me was vibrant with colour, flowers were peaking, butterflies were everywhere, and I could hear birds chirping all around me. It gave me the feeling that I was one with nature and it only spurred on my excitement to use my favourite camera. I was finally home, and this only confirmed it. I let out a happy sigh as I took in the mountain view we had from our lands, in my opinion, we lived in the best part of Exmoor, it wasn't too cold, not too hot, and we had the best views all around.

I spotted beautiful birds in an oak tree in front of me, and I crouched, looking through my camera lens at a perfect shot. I could feel the wind whipping my hair around my face, but I ignored it as I snapped a few shots, I had perfect lighting from this angle.

"Exotic Bee-Eaters, I never thought I'd see any in England."

My head snapped up at the sound of a familiar voice, and I was graced by the sight of Bo, standing arms folded behind me, staring up at those birds like they were gold. She looked down at me, smiling, and I stood up, realizing that I was slightly taller than she was. I shook my head and pointed at the tree, "You know about birds?"

She took a few steps, walking around me and closer to the tree for a better look and nodded swiftly, "They are a very rare visitor for the UK, extremely endangered and mostly only to be found in nature reserves." She turned around to look at me, and sighed, "Exquisite creatures, it's just a pity they are so noisy."

"And messy," I added quickly, suddenly enjoying this conversation more than I thought I would. I knew a lot about nature and birds in general, mostly because I was actually a big nerd who read every book I could get my hands on, but Bo was standing here, spouting information that was recent, which showed that she did her research often.

She smirked, "I'm guessing you're a photographer?' she said, hinting at my camera with my chin. "Dyson told me you're an arty person."

I nodded, admiring my digital partner with the utmost respect, "I'm a nature photographer for a travel magazine in Canada."

Bo raised a brow, "And the owner of a very famous studio."

I frowned at her, surprised by the information she just laid out on the table, Dyson must have told her that. I bent down again, pointing my camera in the direction of the Bee-Eaters and continued with what I was initially doing. "What about you?" I asked.

"What about me?"

I glanced at her quickly, "What do you do for a living?"

I heard her chuckle slightly as I stood up in search for something else to take pictures of, "I'm sure you figured that one out already."

She managed to make me frown again, and I shook my head slightly, "I'm going to say that you're a lawyer."

She moved around me, allowing the slight breeze to toy with the red dress she was wearing, making it flow around her toned thighs, which I only realized now how toned they were since I was so low, "You are correct." She started, "Followed in my mother's footsteps."

"The woman who has the nerve to tell a judge how to do his job?"

She eyed me, a slight smirk pulling at the corners of her lips, "Indeed."

I nodded, "I'm impressed."

"How come?"

"I see too many women like you doing jobs in fashion when they are meant for so much more. This is a nice change."

Bo frowned at me, her arms crossing slowly over her chest, "Women like me?"

I caught her tone and looked at her, standing up immediately when I realized that I wasn't getting my point across, "Talkative, vivacious, confident."

She raised a brow, "You don't know me, how could you possibly know that I'm any of those things?"

I blinked a few times, raising my camera again as I snapped a few shots of the dark clouds moving in above us, "I don't have to know you to figure out that you are all of those things."

Bo stood still, eyeing me as I moved around. I was scolding myself for being so forward, it was one of the reasons why I never had many friends while growing up, I spoke my mind a lot and not many people liked that. I moved my hands down, hovering the camera at my stomach, "I didn't mean to offend you, it was meant to be a compliment."

This caused Bo to smile, making my stomach tingle again for some strange reason. She nodded, "I hope your back is not too busted from earlier this morning."

Continuing my photographic ways, I huffed slightly, remembering how Bo pretended like we didn't meet this morning when my brother introduced her, "I think I'll live."

"Good,' she said and walked around me again, hinting at the house, "I guess I'll see you around Lewis."

I was left with the sight of her walking back towards the house, toned calf muscles waving at me with every step she took, and I realized my hands were sweating when I shifted my camera. The only coherent thought I had in my head was the one my subconscious was throwing at me while she was flipping shit on her pedestal, arms crossed as she shook her head.

 _What shit storm did you just walk into?_


	2. Chapter 2

**N: First of all, thank you all so much for the reviews, now I'm even more excited to continue. I know I'm leaving a lot of things open to discussion, but I don't want to reveal too much too soon. As for Lauren knowing about her sexuality... she knows. Her family is the mystery. I hope this chapter makes sense.**

 **Any and all mistakes are mine.**

* * *

 _Tuesday, 12 April 2017_

 _It's happening again, the feeling my therapist told me would overwhelm me the most. I'm awake and alone and I thought being home would be better, but it isn't. I still feel scared. It feels like that place is never going to leave me. Like it sunk its nails into my soul and its presence will linger till the end of days. I'm still scared, scared that they'll come bursting through my door even though I know I'm safe at home._

 _I can't get his voice out of my head. His sweaty stench, his breath and the way he said my name still haunts me. It's been three months, when will this end? I'm home now, I should feel safe._

 _When I signed up, I thought that I was doing the right thing, it seemed right in my head, but it was a mistake because it feels like this feeling is never going to leave me. Even though I know for a fact that my work will make a difference, it still doesn't change the fact that I can't get this feeling out of my system._

I groaned, slamming my leather diary shut and threw it onto the empty side of my bed. I was being ridiculous, lapping my feelings out onto a piece of paper didn't feel like it always felt when I was younger, now it was just sad and dry. I frowned when I glanced at my digital alarm, it was flashing 1:30 am at me like it was some sort of prize. I had been awake since ten last night, after my little impromptu photography session I went straight back to bed, unaware of how physically fatigued I really was. All I wanted was one good night's sleep, I wanted to sleep better for once because I didn't have a bad dream, I just woke up and now I was wide awake. Maybe it was a good idea to try and tire myself out during the day so I could sleep better at night.

I pulled my covers off of my legs, enjoying the cool feeling of the wood under my feet as I stood up to head down to the kitchen. A glass of milk was all I needed. It had always been my go-to midnight drink, it just had a way of making me feel better. I trudged slowly downstairs, the house was dark and the last thing I wanted was another ultimate wipeout, or to wake someone up, which I doubted since the house was so big. I never quite got used to the size of this place.

I made my way down the short hall, passing the living room and dining room, when I realised that the kitchen light was on, again. I frowned and rounded the corner, coming face to face with that brunette herself. I stood still, staying quiet as I stared at her. Bo was leaning on the island, also with a glass of milk in hand, staring out into the yard from the view we had from the windows above the sink. Why was she up at this hour, drinking milk like I planned to do?

That's when I shifted my weight, and the floorboards creaked underneath me. Bo glanced my way, her eyes widening for a split second before she smiled, "The Sandman forgot to visit you too?"

I raised a brow and walked towards the island, coming to a stand on the opposite side of her, "I guess so, it's extremely unfair."

She sipped her milk, "I got the perfect remedy right here."

I nodded, reaching for the milk container and a glass behind me on the dry-rack, "I know, it's what I came downstairs for. Why are you up at this hour?"

"I couldn't sleep, I have a lot on my mind."

I closed up the milk and took a sip of my own, eyeing her, "What are you thinking about?"

Bo tipped her head to the side, focusing on swirling the white liquid in her glass. I could see that she was considering telling me, but the way she was holding back told me it was something serious, I had gotten good at reading people while I was away. She sighed smiling, "It's nothing, boring work stuff."

I immediately knew that she was giving me a fake smile, it was nothing like the warm one she graced me with early yesterday morning when we were standing in the same spot as we were now. She wasn't telling me the truth, but I accepted it, she barely knew me and I wasn't the type to blurt out my thoughts to just anyone either. So I went with it, "A job in law must be difficult, I can only imagine the amount of stress you have to cope with."

She eyed me, studying me for a second before finishing off her milk, "Why aren't you sleeping?"

"I guess I have some things on my mind as well." I said, running my finger along the rim of my glass, "Work stuff also." I added, hoping it would take the attention off of me.

Bo narrowed her eyes, "I thought you have someone looking after your studio?"

"No, I do," I said, nodding in agreement, "There's just a lot of catching up I need to do. I will have to return home after my visit here, and then I'll be too busy for anything else in life."

"Sometimes you have to focus less on work and more on your life." She said while picking at the edge of a banana, "You never know what can happen." Her eyes were boring into mine like she was trying to tell me something.

I shook it off and nodded in agreement, "Yes, but when you've neglected work for a long time, other things can wait."

Bo gave me a tight smile, "Two years is a long time, but now you have to focus on not only rebuilding your business but your life as well."

She was talking sense, I couldn't argue with that. But I was impressed, she was definitely the diamond out of all of the girlfriends Dyson had ever had. Most of them always complained about chipping a nail while one of the dogs greeted them, and yet here Bo was preaching like a pro about what I had to do, and she was right. I had to focus on my life as well, I needed to rebuild my relationships again, starting with my family and with Tamsin, my best friend who had been looking after the studio for me. They were my people and I needed them close to me right now, only then would I be able to make a success of everything again.

I swallowed, she had the balls to bring up my time away, which meant she knew about me joining the army, and of course she did, but yet wasn't being pushy and asking questions, and that made me respect her a little bit more. I took another sip of my milk, and made direct eye contact with her, "A lot happened in these two years, I'm not sure how I'm going to start."

Bo pushed off of the island and moved around the corner of it, coming a bit closer to me, "You start by taking it step by step, nothing will happen overnight, take it as it comes and if your management is being difficult, I'm a lawyer." She said with a bright smile, pointing a finger at herself.

I smiled, there she went again, impressing me again, "I have my own personal saviour then."

Bo nodded, "Of course, always." She held her bright smile, eyeing me while shaking her head, "I'm glad to know that you can actually smile. For a moment there I thought you were an ice queen."

My smile faded, her words penetrating a sensitive memory where it was resting peacefully in the fields of forgetting. A memory I was struggling to forget the most. I met her eyes again, curious brown eyes wondering why I was being like this, but she said nothing, she didn't overstep. I shifted to a soft smile instead, "No, I'm not an ice queen, I was just getting you back for nearly killing me."

She laughed, reaching for the milk to fill up her empty glass, "In my defence, you were supposed to be asleep." She refilled her glass and mine as well, "Second, my intentions were good since I was here to surprise your brother."

I narrowed my eyes, "Intentions or no intentions, it's basic knowledge not to leave your luggage at the door where someone can see it."

She shrugged, pushing my glass towards me, "Potato potato."

"How did you and my brother meet anyway?" I asked rather cautiously, I was beyond curious about where in the world Dyson found this woman.

"I was coming out of City Hall, he was on his way in to finalise some things for the business in New York, and we completely ran into each other. He was all polite and dreamy, followed me to my car like a lost puppy while apologizing and he wouldn't let me go without at least a coffee date."

I let out a quick breath, smiling slightly, "That sounds like him alright."

She nodded, "We had a few dates after that and he asked me out, I said no at first because I wasn't sure we would be good together, but he asked me to try, and now here we are."

I studied Bo's body language, she was playing with her hands on the island, looking rather bored. Something was off, and it wasn't the smell of my father's rain boots that were resting near the door. I nodded slowly, "Seven months and counting."

Bo smiled, "Exactly." Her eyes met mine, "What about you?"

"What about me?"

She tipped her head, giving me the 'you know what I mean' look, "Who's your love?"

I laughed slightly, that was a question I hadn't been asked in a very long time, "She's upstairs on my bedside table, holding all the love I need in her memory card."

Bo smiled at me, her eyes held the tone of admiration, and her head was leaning back a bit while she raised a brow, "She sure sounds wonderful."

"She's alright, she doesn't talk back, she doesn't fight with me, and she always does what I want, it's a win-win really."

"Now you sound like Dyson with his damned car." Bo said, rolling her eyes.

I set my empty glass down on the island, "Like brother like sister I guess. But I'm kidding, that's not why she's my lover. I love taking photos and that's my favourite camera."

"That's what I was hoping." She said, reaching for the milk again, "Last refill before we head back upstairs?"

I nodded eagerly, pushing my glass towards her. Bo refilled our glasses and put the milk back in the fridge, and I did something I wasn't prepared for. When Bo moved away from me and to the fridge, my eyes ran over her toned body without my permission and settled on her behind where her shorts were coming a bit short in covering everything. She was without a doubt a beautiful woman, it was difficult not to sneak a peak. When she turned back around, I focused my attention on the glass in my hands, swallowing dryly.

"Dyson said something about horses for tomorrow, well later today." She said, taking a sip of her milk. And I sighed a breath of relief that she didn't catch me.

"Oh, he probably wants to take you for a ride." My eyes widened, "I mean, take you out to ride the horses, not literally you." I looked down fumbling with my fingers, feeling stupid.

Bo chuckled, looking at me like she found my minor mistake amusing, "I figured."

"Do you know how to ride?" I asked, changing the direction of the conversation.

She nodded slightly, "Semi. I've only been on a horse once and I did pretty good, so I think I'll be fine." She eyed me, raising a brow, "Will you ride with us?"

I looked at her, idly wondering where that had come from, "Why not, but I must warn you, I'm kind of bad at it."

Bo leaned forward then, resting her weight on her elbows, and for the first time, I noticed the swell of her breasts at the top of her tank top. It completely caught me off guard as my eyes widened for a split second. I blinked, raking my brain for a reason to why I hadn't noticed before. Bo was extremely, talented, for the lack of a better word. I pulled my eyes away quickly, and the moment I met hers, I realised she had been looking at me. Panick struck my system and I downed the rest of my milk to avoid her gaze. She knew that I had been staring at her, and I was embarrassed none the less. I cleared my throat, while Bo kept her intense gaze locked on me, "Aren't you tired?"

She licked her lips, shaking her head, "No, I don't think I'll be sleeping tonight." She finished her milk, placing her glass down next to mine, and my eyes were darting in every direction to avoid the view she was giving me, but I knew she didn't do it intentionally, if she wanted it to be intentional I was afraid that I would have seen more than just the first part of the top swell of her breasts. Her voice interrupted my thoughts, "You really don't have anyone special waiting for you back home?"

I shook my head, raising my brows while pressing my lips together, she was back on this topic again and it confused me, "Nope."

"Strange," she started, standing back up again, and I felt strangled air leave my lungs, "One would think you're taken. It's strange to think you're not."

I frowned, eyeing her. I was having trouble figuring out what she was trying to tell me. It felt like she was trying to make me read between the lines, but I could be wrong, I was indeed tired. I felt strange, guilty for looking at Bo the way I did just seconds before. She was my brother's girlfriend and here I was staring at her like she would disappear if I didn't keep looking. I inhaled deeply, and picked up our glasses, setting them down in the sink behind me. When I turned around, Bo was standing close to me, smiling, "I would love to see some of your photos sometime."

Her words caught me off guard. My family was supportive of my work, but none of them had ever straight up asked me to see my work, and yet, here Bo was, requesting a peek at what I love in life. I couldn't help the small smile that formed as I stared at her, silently contemplating what I wanted to say. I inhaled, "I can show you tomorrow night."

She nodded excitedly, "That sounds like a plan Lewis."

I laughed at her silliness, heading to the hall. She followed me up the stairs, silently chatting about the house and its beauty. I found it funny how Bo struggled to keep her voice down, she was definitely an outspoken person. She dropped me off at my room, lingering for a second with a soft smile before she disappeared into Dyson's room. I stood there, with a fast beating heart, wondering why I felt so strange after the hour I spent with her in the kitchen.

* * *

The morning came quickly. I woke up easily and practically jumped out of bed, I felt ready for the day and everything it had to offer. I dressed in my favourite pair of brown boots, blue jeans and a maroon button down. I felt cheerful today. Like it was going to be a good day. I drank my tea on the porch, listening to the birds chirp different melodies while they reminded me of how I still needed to rake Bo's brain on birds. It was fascinating to me how Bo had such a diverse personality and I had only known her for two days, she was interesting none the less, and I found myself wanting to get to know her more.

After we all had breakfast, I went for a walk with the dogs, laughing at them as they teased one another and ran circles around me. I wanted to walk to my favourite open spot a far stretch from the house so I could call Tamsin and ask her how she was holding up. I knew she would be happy to hear from me, and I was probably going to be graced with her lovely use of dirty words. I knew I wouldn't have it any other way, Tamsin was my best friend, had been since college and I knew she would forever be in my life, one way or another, I just had that feeling.

I felt the sun beating down on me, and I moved to a large oak tree and sat down, the slight breeze made fallen leaves look like they were dancing on the short grass. I smiled at my surroundings and at the dogs who were running around, exploring while making sure that I was safe, and pulled out my phone. I squinted at my wallpaper, a photo taken the day of my first assignment with two of the best soldiers who had become my friends. I sighed heavily, unable to allow myself to think about it any further. I scrolled down and found her name.

It only took a few rings before I heard exactly what I was expecting, "This better be the call to tell me that you're home and not still crawling around in the fucking sticks."

I grinned, her witty nature was still in full force, "I guess missed you too."

Tamsin laughed, and I enjoyed the sound of my best friend's voice, something I hadn't heard in a long time. She communicated with my family about my business during the time I was gone, and I had missed her more than I thought and I was burning to see her, "I can't tell you how amazing it is to hear your voice, Lauren. I'm so happy you're home. How are you?"

I smiled softly at her serious tone, something I didn't experience often with her, "I'm perfectly fine. How are you, are you holding up with everything?"

"Bitch please running this joint is no problem. We just need some new material to hang on our walls, luckily you're back now, so that won't be a problem anymore. But I'm great, especially now that I know you're safe and back in one piece. When are you coming home?"

I sighed, picking at the grass, "I don't know Tamsin. It's peaceful here, away from everyone and everything. I do want to see you though, why don't you come and visit me?"

I hear her hum as she weighed out the possibilities, "I think I can manage that."

"You think or you know?" I questioned, smiling as I waited for her answer.

"Shut up. I'll see what I can do and get back to you. But right now I have to go, I'm meeting with some clients who want to buy the picture of the old tree you photographed in Japan. It's a massive one and I think I can wrangle a steady amount of bucks for it."

I shook my head, feeling happy that I left her in charge, she knew exactly what she was doing. We said our goodbyes, and I shoved my phone back into my back pocket as I stood up. When I looked to my left, I saw a smart looking black car, cruise on the road up to the house. I had no idea who it was, but I figured it was someone for my father. I called the dogs back and walked with them further down the open land that held so many memories of when I was in college. I took most of my photos out here when I got my first camera, it brought me all the happiness in the world and I never grew tired of it. I was happy that I followed my dreams. But Dyson fell into the family business quite quickly, and I never asked him what he actually wanted to do for a living.

Dyson was my half-brother. My father had a relationship with a woman called Diana before he met my mother, they were hopelessly in love at first, and so came Dyson, but they realised that they were not meant to be together and divorced. A year later, my father met my mother, and that was love at first sight. But after I was born, and around the age of seven, Dyson's mother passed away. Lung Cancer was the one that took her from her son. My father, always being the good man, insisted that Dyson would come to live with us, and so he did. I still remembered the first day we met. He stood in our living room with his suitcase and teddy bear. He had soft, curly brown hair that still looked the same today and I loved him for it. We became really close really fast, but over the years that closeness started drifting a bit, but every time we saw each other it was like our bond never suffered through distance. He kept his mother's maiden name, Thornwood, as a token of remembrance of her and merged it with the Lewis name. Therefore he was a full-fledged Lewis and was all ready to take over the family business. My father was beyond excited, and that was why he was closer with Dyson because he cared more about grapes than I did. I didn't mind it though, it allowed me to pursue my own career away from boundaries of how I had to run my business.

I walked around outside for a few more minutes before I decided to head back inside. It was hot out and I was entertaining the idea of a cold glass of lemonade on the porch while reading. With a determined nod, I entered the house, hearing the sound of laughter as it radiated from the living room. I didn't want to be rude, so I rounded the corner, seeing my father, Dyson and old mister Dickens, each with a glass of whiskey in hand, talking passionately about the new brand of wine my father would be presenting this week. My father spotted me and smiled, "Lauren, come in. Look who's here."

Mister Dickens, one of my father's best friends and most trusted employee, spotted me and smiled, he glanced at my father, "Harold your daughter is still as beautiful as ever." He gave me a side hug, examining me as if I was a foreign creature, "You look good Lauren."

"It's good to be back." I said with an equally wide smile.

I left the men to their discussions and headed straight to the kitchen to fix me some of that lemonade my mother was boasting about yesterday. When I rounded the corner, Bo was standing by the island, eating an apple while typing away on her phone. She was dressed in jeans, something I had not seen on her, and they fit her well. She glanced up at me when I walked to the fridge and smiled, "It's hot today, did you enjoy your walk?"

I pulled out the lemonade and smiled as I reached for two glasses, "Yes it is." I said and started pouring us drinks, "It was great, I missed the beautiful view we have here, it's so calming."

I slid her a glass of lemonade, realising that I never asked her if she wanted some. But to my surprise, she accepted it happily, "Thanks." She closed her eyes after she took a sip, moaning slightly, "This stuff is like magic, your mother is amazing."

I smiled, enjoying the feeling of the cold liquid sliding down my throat, and how comfortable I was in her company, "Indeed she is, speaking of, where is she?"

Bo set her phone down, resting her apple on the island, "She went to the country club to get everything in order for Friday, something about stock and decorations."

I nodded, knowing my mother had always been one to get everything ready long before it was needed. I was certain she already knew how she wanted to decorate everything, she was going there to be picky and to double check everything. I was about to speak, when Dyson rounded the corner, his boots sliding over the tiles as he walked, he went straight to Bo and gave her a kiss on her cheek. They smiled awkwardly at each other and didn't make any further physical contact. I frowned at the sight, they had been different with each other yesterday, happier.

Dyson inhaled and smiled when he saw me, "Are you gonna join us for a ride?"

I glanced at Bo who was already staring me down, but in a way that begged me to say yes. Something was definitely up, I nodded, seeing her exhale deeply as relief washed over her features. Dyson nodded, "Great, I'll meet you two there."

And with that, he left the kitchen and was out the door, he didn't bother to spare a glance at Bo as he left. I eyed her, unsure of what I was supposed to do. I assumed that they had gotten into some sort of argument, that was the only explanation. Bo finished off her lemonade and smiled at me while she waited for me to join her, and I did, hesitantly. We walked side by side down to the barn, in silence. I didn't find it awkward, she had the ability to make silence feel comfortable, but there was a sense of 'please don't talk about it' hanging in the air. So I didn't, but her attitude towards me didn't change, she still smiled sincerely at me when we made eye contact.

When we reached the barn, Dyson had already saddled up two of the horses, and he was busy with his own, his back to us. Bo left my side, immediately walking to my horse, her face lit up like she was a little kid. I watched as she reached out, trailing her hands over the giant, black animal. She faced me, a bright smile on her face, making a dimple on her right cheek stand out that made me swallow, "I had no idea that you're riding a Friesian Stallion."

I smiled, watching her stand there, beaming. She waved at me, "Lauren? This is serious, come on."

Dyson looked back at us, shook his head, and got on his horse. Before I could say anything, he rode off. I frowned at him but was distracted a second time when Bo appeared at my side and grabbed my hand. I gasped at her actions while she pulled me towards my horse, still smiling, she squeezed my hand to get me to focus, "What's his name?"

My heart was beating, and my mind was spinning, Bo was holding on to my hand and I felt guilty for the effect it was having on me. I swallowed, "Excalibur."

She raised a brow at me, an amused smirk spread across her face. I shook my head, holding up my other hand, "I thought it was a great name when I got him. But now I just call him Cal."

"Cal." She said, smiling up at him and dropped my hand so she could stroke his sculpted face. I watched her as she spoke soft words to him like he was her own horse. I immediately had an inkling that she knew about horses too, because she knew exactly what kind of horse Cal was. I was impressed, and she was in her element.

I walked to Amanda, smiling at how shiny her brown hair was and placed my hand on her neck, "You can ride Cal today."

Bo's head spun around, eyes wide, "Are you being serious?"

I laughed, "Yes, but" I walked to the gear hanging on the wall and pulled down two hats, and went back to her. I put the hat on her head, enjoying her eyes lighting up as she accepted it, "If you're going to be a cowgirl you're going to do it the right way." I let my hands fall down, realising that we were pretty close and stepped back, putting on my own hat. Bo stood there, dumbfounded and watched as I climbed on Amanda. I raised my brow at her, "Well, are you coming or not?"

She didn't allow grass to grow under her feet, she scrambled and climbed on Cal in a way that had me staring, her hips knew their way around. Bo slightly adjusted her stirrups since I was a bit taller than she was, and smiled at me, "Lead the way then."

I returned a smile and off we went. I took Bo for a ride through the farm. I had no idea where Dyson went, so I took matters into my own hands. I took Bo through a part of the woods, and we cantered alongside the vineyard. She couldn't stop expressing how much fun she was having and it warmed my heart to see her all giddy with excitement. We slowed down by the small river, and I got off of Amanda, tying her to a tree. Bo followed my lead and did the same with Cal, joining me where I was crouched by the water. I saw her hands rest on the small rocks as the water ran over her skin. She had beautiful hands.

I stood up then, swinging my arms to dry my hands, "I think we're going to get another storm tonight."

Bo nodded in agreement, "Me too, the clouds are forming low."

I shook my head, crossing my arms as Bo stood up. She smiled, shocked at my expression, "Is there anything you don't know, I'm starting to think that law wasn't your only major."

She laughed, patting her hands on her jeans, "I told you, I like to read."

Yeah, read a lot then. She impressed me more and more, she was extremely intelligent, and it intrigued me, "So I figured." I wanted to ask her about Dyson, but he looked pretty pissed off, maybe it was better left alone, it wasn't my place to ask anyway, "You love nature."

Bo nodded as she looked around, the river flowed slowly, only leaving a soothing sound for us to listen to while birds chirped above us, "I love nature, would you believe me if I said that I considered nature photography before I decided on law."

My eyes widened, could this woman get any more perfect? I smiled widely at her, "Do you still take photos though?"

"Yes I do, but unfortunately I left my camera at home, but I would love to see some of yours."

I nodded, "Of course, I can show you tonight."

"Great, it's a date then." She said as she walked back to Cal. I swallowed at her words, but she turned around with a smile, "I'm kidding. Can we maybe go back, I have to find Dyson."

I did as requested and we got back on route, trotting slowly alongside the vineyard this time. I glanced at Bo, noticing for a moment how well she looked on that horse, her hips moved in sync with her back kept straight, and her hands held a tight grip on the reins. I frowned at myself and diverted my mind, for some reason I was hyper-aware of Bo, and that was not a good thing. Definitely not good. I had no idea if it was her personality or the fact that she was so beautiful. But I was afraid that it was going to kill me. I had only known her for two days and she had me hanging on every word she said, perhaps I felt this way because she allowed herself to be a little vulnerable last night, and now I cared a lot.

We neared the barn and hopped off the horses. Bo helped me to unsaddle the horses and we took them inside since a storm was coming. Thunder was roaring loudly now and the wind had picked up too. I smiled at Bo as she spoke softly to Amanda this time, the light of the barn making her look like a little girl again. She walked over to me and took off her hat, small bits of her hair was a little wet from sweating, and she didn't even care. It was new, all of Dyson's girlfriends refused to wear hats and freaked out when they started sweating. I frowned slightly, I had to stop comparing her to his ex-girlfriends. Speaking of him, Dyson was already back, his horse was here and his gear as well. I took the hat from Bo, and pulled off my own, and hung them back on their hooks, "Did you have fun?"

She nodded excitedly, "It was amazing, we have to ride again, then I can ride Amanda."

"Of course, haven't you gone out riding before?"

She shook her head as we walked back to the house, "No, Dyson hasn't taken me. But he did tell me that riding is your thing so he always only did it with you. And now you're here, maybe that's why. By the way, you told me you're not good at riding and I would like to object to that matter."

I listened to her, feeling something move in my heart. Riding had always been my way of bonding with Dyson, so it made sense that he only took her now that I was here. I smiled, "Are you two alright?"

I saw her tense up, and I felt myself follow, I had no idea where that question had come from. But she didn't allow it to get to her, "We had a small argument, but it's nothing to worry about."

I nodded, holding the back door open for her. When we entered, Dyson was standing by the island, and he was looking rather upset. Bo smiled sheepishly at me and thanked me again for the ride.

I stood there, watching as they retreated upstairs, and I wondered if it really was just a small argument, or if they were having problems. Bo's behaviour last night only fueled that thought.


	3. Chapter 3

**N: This update is mainly about one thing. I had some trouble with writing it, but I'm sure it answers some of your questions. Once again, everyone, your reviews mean the world to me, they make me smile when I read them, you're the best.**

 **Any and all mistakes are mine.**

* * *

With internal protest, I left Lauren standing at the door, thanking her once again for the great time I had with her. She had a look of confusion on her face, making the calm expression she always had disappear. Dyson headed upstairs, and I followed him, knowing he was going to have at it again. A part of me was happy with the fact that I could ride with Lauren, she made it fun and she actually cared about what I was interested in, which was more than I could say about Dyson. It wasn't that we weren't happy together, but deep down inside I knew that he wasn't my forever, something was missing, not just from him, from both our ends. He was an amazing guy, but lately, we hadn't been getting along that well. He was happy to see me when I surprised him because we had been apart for a while, but then we just fell right back to our old ways. And that was not what I wanted, it wasn't what I wanted in a relationship.

I closed the door softly behind me, and stood by it, silently. Dyson was standing at the window, looking out at the yard. His hair was slightly messy and he was breathing heavily. I spoke softly, "Dyson."

He looked back slightly, "I'm not in the mood for another fight."

I frowned, he was making it sound like I started our previous one, "Me neither but it won't help if you don't calm down and talk to me. Avoiding me won't solve anything."

He turned around, "I think I have a good reason to avoid you."

"No, you don't." I said rather loudly, I took a deep breath and tried again, "I have the right to want to follow my dreams as well. Your business is not the only thing that matters in this relationship."

He walked closer to the bed, eyeing me, "But I earn enough to look after both of us, your job in New York is enough income."

He was speaking like we were going to get married soon, and that scared me, "Dyson, I am a young woman, climbing the ranks in my profession, I would like to do better, and chase after a chance to get better when I have it."

He shook his head, "I don't understand you, do you not want this relationship?"

I frowned, moving to stand at my side of the bed, "Of course I do, but you can't pretend like everything is all moonshine and roses."

"What's that supposed to mean?" He said, looking offended.

I pursed my lips together, trying my best to find the right words, "We are completely different people. Yes, we're good together, but we fight almost every single day, about stupid things. How can you be happy with that?"

"Bo, couples fight, it's what happens."

"All the time? Tell me, please, how long have we gone without fighting these last couple of months? You were happy to see me when I got here, but ten minutes into being in my company, you fought with me about something senseless, and the next day you pretended like nothing happened."

"I can't expose our relationship drama to my parents." He said stiffly, crossing his arms.

I frowned at him, "But it's okay to expose it to Lauren? How does that work?"

"She's different."

I rolled my eyes, pinching my nose to try and collect myself. I had no idea how he could stand here in front of me and pretend like he wasn't bothered by our problems, how could he be that naive? I didn't understand him, and it was exactly why I was hesitant to start this relationship. It was like a switch went off in his head because gone was the serious man, he walked over to me and smiled lightly, his hands finding their place on my hips. I kept my arms crossed, not feeling the urge to touch him back. He bent forward and kissed me, softly at first as he waited for me to respond. It took me a while but I did, but I was still not touching him. Dyson moved his hands up and under my shirt, trailing them over my skin in a way that had me feeling uncomfortable, and when he started fiddling with the clasp of my bra, I broke off the kiss.

I stepped away from him, frowning and feeling my blood start to boil as I started shaking my head, "Do you really think sex is going to fix this?"

His mouth fell open, followed by him rolling his eyes, "Well don't you think it's time? We haven't had sex for months now."

I huffed, "And the fact that you don't know why scares me."

"What do you want me to do Bo? I won't change my opinion on you moving to Canada, I want you to stay with me in New York."

"And be happy with never earning a promotion? Always staying in the same post."

He shook his head, walking to the door, he stood there before he left, "I won't change my mind on this, we are perfectly fine as we are." And with that, he left the room, slamming the door on his way out, once again refusing to see my point, it was what he always did, the moment he didn't have answers, he left the situation to sort itself out, and that frustrated me. We were going to fall further into this deep hole if we kept this up.

I let out a huge breath when he was gone, letting my head fall into my hands. It was like he only thought about himself, I knew from the beginning that this relationship wasn't a good idea, and now here I was, in the middle of it where Dyson expected me to make a sacrifice for him, but I wasn't sure I wanted to sacrifice something huge for this relationship, it didn't feel worth it. It had only been seven months, and it wasn't at all like it was supposed to be. He knew this, I knew he did, but he was in denial, which wasn't fair towards me, or himself.

I sighed heavily and entered the bathroom attached to his room. My eyes were a bit watery, and I was flushed. I splashed some water on my face, an attempt to calm myself down. I dabbed my face dry and went back to our room, pulling out my phone to get the time. It was late afternoon, there was no way I could stay in the room to avoid him. So I sprayed on some more perfume and went downstairs in search for some more of that amazing lemonade. The house was quiet, Harold was out doing work, Amelia was at the country club and Dyson just went who knows where. I poured myself a glass and sipped slowly. A thousand things were running through my mind, making me wonder why I was here and if it was even worth staying. Maybe it was best if I just left, maybe some more space would do us good. My grandmother always told me that if I had to second guess my feelings for someone, they probably weren't the one, which was why I was in such a flat spin over everything. I wasn't even sure if Dyson wanted me to stay, I honestly didn't have the answers anymore.

That's when the image of Lauren popped into my head and a wonderful image at that. To me, she just seemed like she had it all figured out. I knew that was not the case, but she had this calm vibe hanging around her that made it look like she wasn't fighting a storm inside that magnificent head of hers. I knew my behaviour had been strange when I was around her these two days, there was just something about her that made me smile all the time and I didn't quite understand it. I looked around me, smiling at the memory of her falling into the kitchen. I still felt bad about it, but she looked absolutely adorable in her pyjamas. Lauren was a huge geek, and I found it appealing. I left the kitchen then and made my way upstairs, debating with myself about what I was about to do. But before I knew it, my feet came to a stop at her door, and my hand went up, knocking three times.

My heart pounded just as hard as my knocking echoed through the hall, making a wave of lethal doubt rip through my body. I was about to turn around, when the door flew open, revealing Lauren in a T-shirt and shorts, her hair was wet and she was drying it with a towel, her expression held and emotion of shock, "Bo, is everything alright?"

I smiled nervously, debating on turning around and running away. Lauren looked breathtaking, "No, I just thought I might take you up on that offer to show me your photos."

Lauren smiled and held her door open. I entered her room and closed the door behind me, watching her walk into the bathroom, "I'll be with you in a second."

"Okay." I said as I looked around her room. She had a bunch of posters on the wall, especially ones of the X-files and travelling. I smiled when I noticed that her desk was strewn with photographs, and books were everywhere around her room. Now I knew that she was definitely a giant geek because her collection of shows and movies was impressive as it took up a whole shelf. I smiled, taking in the warm cosy atmosphere of her room, it was the perfect place for a movie night and some snacks, especially on that massive bed of hers. I frowned at myself when a quick flash of something else happening on that bed popped into my head.

Just then Lauren came out of the bathroom, unknowingly saving me from my thoughts. She ran her hands through her hair while she smiled at me. I swallowed, finding it hard not to glance at her long legs, I was confused, I had no idea why I was so drawn to this woman. Lauren was something else, and I knew something she didn't intentionally reveal to me.

I knew it when she spoke of her camera lover as a 'she'.

"Take a seat, Bo." She said as she went to her bedside table and lifted her laptop off of it. She sat down on her bed and motioned for me to join her. Hesitantly, I did as I was told and sat down next to her on her huge bed, running my hands over her soft grey sheets. Lauren powered up her laptop and went through some files, finally opening one. A bunch of images filled the screen, and she turned to face me, "Okay, so, these are some of the very first photos I ever took. Only a few of them made it onto the walls of the studio, some of them hit too close to home to share them with the rest of the world."

I smiled as her face lit up with excitement while she told me about these photos. She showed me most of them, and I was blown away by the talent she had with a camera. Lauren definitely had an eye for this and I completely understood why she was in photography and not the winery. Her photos were beautiful, I could feel the emotion she captured in them as she told me about it and why certain photos meant a lot to her. Her way of speaking screamed passion, and it had a strange way of filtering through me, making me just as passionate about it as she was. She showed me a few other photos of her time in Japan, Alaska and Italy. She had definitely been to a lot of places to capture their finest qualities. Lauren turned to me, smiling, "You know, there's something I can show you. I haven't really shown it to many people, a blown up version of it hangs in my office at the studio."

I nodded, "Show me, please."

She handed me her laptop, and I watched her skip to her desk, opening a drawer. She pulled out a brown file and walked back over to me, sitting down she slipped it out and held it out to me. My eyes widened when I looked at it, it was a photo of the manor, but it looked different than it did now. You could see that the quality was not that great, but that made the photo just so much better. Lauren adjusted herself on the bed, "This is the very first photo I ever took. My father bought me my first camera when I was in high school, and I was so over the moon excited and I knew that I wanted to use that first bit of memory to capture the beauty of this house, and there it is."

I looked at her, and her eyes were glossy. It warmed my heart to know that she shared this with me, even after knowing me for such a short amount of time. I smiled at her, "This is beautiful Lauren, why is it just hanging in your office?"

She sighed, "I don't know, for some reason I don't want people to see it. Tamsin asked me the same thing."

I nodded, looking at the photo again, "I understand, it's the most precious part of your passion."

"Exactly." She said as she slipped it back into the file, setting it down next to her, "But back then the house was very different, my mother really left her print on it."

"Agreed, she has the taste many decorators can only dream of having."

Lauren giggled, and lifted the laptop off of my lap, her fingers graced my leg as she did, and I tensed for a second, I had jeans on, but it was like the innocent touch sent chills down my spine. She clicked through her files, and I saw her skip the file labelled 'Afghanistan' as fast as she could. And I couldn't help myself, I needed to know more, "So you went to Afghanistan as a war photographer?"

She stilled her movements, and swallowed, "Yes."

Her actions didn't go unnoticed. I didn't want to make her uncomfortable, so I kept it light, "That's a brave thing to do."

Lauren eyed me, speaking softly, "What do you mean?"

I shifted so I could face her more, "You have your own studio, a home and people who love you. But yet you still went."

She nodded, avoiding my gaze, "I thought it was a good idea at the time yes."

At the time? Did that mean she felt like she made a mistake in going? I wanted to ask more but she stood up abruptly while closing her laptop, and set it down on her desk, "I would love to see some of your photos sometime."

I smiled, letting the subject rest, "Of course, but they're not as good as yours though, most of them are random shots I took while visiting places."

"If you liked them well enough to keep them, I'm sure they're pretty good." She said and sat back down next to me, "Tell me more about your love of nature, where did it start."

I was caught off guard by her strange question, nobody had ever really asked me that, not even Dyson, "It all started with my grandmother. When I was little we used to visit her, and she had this huge bird cage in her backyard full of different birds. It was beautiful, and I always went with her to feed them and she told me all about them. Then before I knew it, I was reading books on different species, upping my knowledge so I could meet her in conversations."

Lauren smiled at me, crossing her legs, "Do you still visit her?"

I shook my head, sighing lightly, "I wish I could, but she moved to heaven a long time ago."

Her smile faded, and a look of regret came across her face, "I'm sorry Bo."

"Don't say sorry, it wasn't your fault she got cancer. I'm sure she's in a better place now. I learned a lot from her in the time I knew her, and that's good enough for me."

Her smile returned, and I realised that I loved the look on her. It was much better than the death stare she issued my way when she fell over my luggage, I found that stare extremely amusing, but I wouldn't tell her that. I just felt so comfortable in her company, like I had known her all my life and I didn't understand it. I didn't understand how she made me feel this calm and relaxed, but all I knew was that I wasn't going to fight it, it was a good feeling. I took the time to look at her, realising that she wasn't wearing any makeup, and she still looked breathtaking. My heart was doing something I didn't give it permission to do, and I was scared that I wouldn't be able to stop it when the time came.

"My parents aren't back yet?" She questioned.

I shook my head, "Nope, and Dyson left."

He pursed her lips, "Well, I could interest you in some pasta and a movie since dinner hasn't been served yet, but I don't know if that's your style."

She looked shy while asking, and I shook my head, "I wouldn't have it any other way."

Lauren nodded, smiling as she got off of her bed, she waited for me at the door, and I got up, following her downstairs. I helped her get everything ready so we could prepare dinner. I learned that Lauren was a great cook and that she could make various difficult meals, once again, I was impressed with her. She knew her way around the kitchen and it was fun to watch her cook. We talked a lot about our childhood while she made the pasta, it was fun learning more about her, she was actually an amusing person with the driest sense of humour that had me laughing out of my stomach. It was great to be around her, and I knew I would be sad when this evening came to an end. I went upstairs for a quick shower so I could change into pyjamas, and came back downstairs with wet hair, smelling and feeling great. Our food was ready when I entered the kitchen, and I watched Lauren as she sprinkled some parsley and cheese on top. I cleared my throat, "Chef Lewis, I believe it's serving time."

She smiled at me and motioned for me to take our wine glasses along with the bottle as she picked up our plates, "Your wish is my command, wouldn't want my best customer to be unsatisfied."

I laughed as we sat down on the leather couch in the living room. Lauren opened the bottle of wine and started pouring us each a glass, "You can pick the movie, the collection is,"

"Under the TV." We said in unison, and Lauren smiled. I got up and scanned through the different films, and knowing that Lauren was a total geek, I pulled out a movie and popped it into the DVD player. I reclaimed my seat next to her and picked up my plate, setting it down on my lap. She held out a glass of wine to me and I took it happily, loving the sweet taste it had and how normal this situation felt. Lauren set her glass down, "What did you choose?"

I shrugged, "Just some sci-fi movie I found."

She eyed me and pressed play, and the moment the movie started she knew exactly what it was, her eyes widened, "The Fifth Element is a classic, I'm impressed."

I closed my eyes when the flavours of the pasta she had made graced my taste buds, it was the best I had ever tasted, "I'm impressed with this pasta."

Lauren smiled and sat back, "Looks like it's a satisfying evening then."

And with that, we dug into our food and watched the movie. Her eyes stayed glued to the screen the whole time, while I didn't know what the hell they were talking about most of the time, Lauren made comments about things they said about technology and I found myself being impressed with her yet again because I had no idea what was going on, but the movie was good all around. It was fun to see Lauren get excited over it.

After the movie was done and we had about two glasses of wine, Lauren faced me, smiling, "You can pick the next one."

I shook my head at her, laughing slightly, "If you're in the mood for a cheesy romance then sure, let me pick."

She raised a brow, "I thought so."

My mouth fell open, "What is that supposed to mean?"

"Oh no, nothing." She said acting coy, "I had a feeling you're the cheesy romantic movie type."

"I can't help it." I said while raising my hands, "I'm a hopeless romantic, and by the looks of it you are too."

Lauren frowned, taking a rather large sip of her wine, "And how do you know that?"

"I have a feeling, I'm sure you know what it's like."

She shook her head at me, "You're evil."

"And yet you're still sitting on the couch with me," I narrowed my eyes at her, "Is it really such a bad thing then?"

"I suppose not." She said.

I smiled at her, and I was about to say something when the front door flew open and shut with a bang. Feet were dragged across the wooden floors and I knew immediately that it was Dyson. I closed my eyes and heard him coming around the corner, he stood there, swallowing loudly, and when I opened my eyes he was leaning against the wall, "You know Bo." He pointed at me and spoke in a slurred way, "I figured it out, I figured it all out actually."

I felt my nerves spike at the fact that Lauren was sitting next to me, and I stood up quickly, lightly grabbing Dyson by his shoulders, "Come on, let's get you to bed."

He stumbled with me as I pulled him off of the wall, and steadied himself on me, I was happy that I had the strength to carry him because he was heavy, more so when he wasn't making an effort to walk by himself. He mumbled things that made no sense as I dragged him upstairs, he reeked of beer and it sickened me. Once I got him through the door, I sat him down on the bed and made work of removing his boots. He was just sitting there, eyes closed as I helped him take his vest off.

"I don't deserve you, Bo." He mumbled, rubbing his eyes.

I frowned and moved up, sitting down next to him, "Dyson, don't say that."

"No it's true, " he started, "You deserve better than a man who can't give you his whole heart, it's not fair."

I leaned back, he wasn't making any sense, "What are you talking about?"

He started laying backwards, and I helped him steady his head on his pillow, "She knows, has for a long time and always will."

I shook my head, watching as he started drifting off, "Who Dyson? I don't understand." My words were wasted because as soon as he closed his eyes, he was out cold, ready to sleep off the alcohol pulsing through his veins. He was going to have one hell of a hangover tomorrow, something I wasn't in the mood for because he always acted like a child when he was hungover.

I sighed heavily, and moved downstairs to grab him some meds and some water, he would need it during the night and I would have to wake him up early enough to take the painkillers so they would start working before he started his day. I placed everything on his bedside table, and bent over, placing a soft kiss on his forehead, wondering who he had been talking about. First, we fought, then he disappeared, and then he came back speaking about someone I didn't know the identity of, it was confusing none the less, and I wasn't sure if I wanted to speak to him about it when he was awake and sober.

I went back downstairs, pulling my hair up into a pony. Lauren was still in the living room when I entered, sitting quietly while sipping her wine. I smiled at her and sat back down, "I'm sorry about that."

She shook her head, "Bo, don't apologize. I've seen him drunk far too many times."

I stared at her, she looked beautiful with her hair flowing over her shoulders, brown eyes staring right back at me. I couldn't quite place my finger on how we had gotten so comfortable with each other in the matter of one day because here we were after one movie and a few glasses of wine, and all I knew was that I wanted to know more about Lauren Lewis, as much as I could. I sighed, "I guess I'm going to head upstairs. Let me help you clean up."

"You don't have to do that Bo."

I shook my head, "The sooner it's done the sooner we can get in bed." I frowned at myself, "I mean, go to sleep."

Lauren smiled as she got up and grabbed our plates. I followed with our glasses and the almost empty bottle of wine. She swayed across the floors on her way into the kitchen and I caught the soft smell of strawberries when she threw her hair over her shoulders. I allowed her to place everything neatly in the sink, and I smiled when she turned around, "I guess there won't be a milk date tonight."

Lauren laughed slightly, shaking her head at me, "I think you already have your hands full with a drunk man upstairs, go, I'll finish up here, my parents should be home any minute as well."

I nodded, hovering next to her by the island. I didn't want to go upstairs just yet, but I had to, I needed to make sure that Dyson wasn't nauseous or something, "I'll see you tomorrow morning then."

Her eyes were soft, "Good night Bo."

And with that, I retreated upstairs, with my hand on my chest, frowning at the way it tightened when I walked away from her. It was strange but oddly welcomed. I laid in bed that night, next to a snoring Dyson with someone on my mind that wasn't him. I had only known Lauren for a few days, but I couldn't ignore the fact that I was undoubtedly attracted to her, and that scared me, because I was here with her brother, whose mother thought we would be getting married somewhere in the future, but both Dyson and I knew for a fact we weren't going to work out, and I was afraid this was going to unfold in the worst way possible.

And the only thing that made me relax when I thought about all of this, was the thought that I would be in Lauren's company tomorrow.

* * *

I felt someone stir next to me, groaning and mumbling curse words. I opened my eyes, our room was bright and the sun was shining on the bed, waking me up efficiently. I turned over and spotted Dyson with his hands covering his face.

"How are you feeling?" I asked as I got up to get him some fresh water. I came back from the bathroom and sat down next to him, holding out the glass.

He sat up slowly, squinting and took the water, "Thank you, and I feel like I've been hit by a car."

I smiled at him, "Well you refused to drink the painkillers when I woke you up to take them, so technically it's your fault."

He smiled lightly and gulped the water down, "You always know better."

I returned a slight smile while we stared at each other, his words from last night replaying in my head, "Do you remember anything from last night?"

He shook his head, getting up from the bed to go and take a shower, "Not really. Where are my brown pants?"

I sighed and pointed at his closet, "I put your clothes in there."

"Thank you." He said and walked over, pulling out his clothes and shuffled off to the bathroom.

While he was taking a shower, I got dressed, throwing on a black muscle fit T-shirt and some jeans. I found myself putting in more of an effort with my makeup and my hair, fiddling with this and that until I felt comfortable with myself. Dyson came out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped around his waist, and he got dressed. For the first time, I had no desire to look at him. I kept my back to him while he moved around, seeming refreshed and no longer in a foul mood. He sat down on the bed, and when I turned he was staring at me. I raised a brow, "So what's the plan for today?"

He sighed, "I'm going with my father to get everything in order for tomorrow's party."

I nodded, smiling lightly, "Do you need me to come with you?"

"No." He said flatly and got off of the bed, moving to his bedside table, "My mother said something about going to the country club again before she left yesterday. She's taking Lauren with her, you can tag along."

Tag along... I frowned at him, he was making it sound like I was a nuisance, "I don't need them to babysit me, Dyson, I have plenty to keep me busy with."

He shoved his phone into his pocket and walked over to me, kissing me on my head, "Good, then do that. I'll see you later."

I stared at him in disbelief as he left the room. His attitude was not welcomed and I didn't understand why he was acting like this. I wasn't going to keep putting up with it for much longer. So when he left, I grabbed my briefcase and the files I had brought with me, I had a lot of work to do anyway.


	4. Chapter 4

**N: I have to move things along so many other important things can start happening. I don't know if this chapter makes sense, let's hope it does. It's been a busy day so I had to hurry to finish it. Also, I know I'm not fully revealing a few things yet but I want them to come out when the time is right.**

 **Any and all mistakes are mine.**

* * *

Sleeping had proved to be a problem again last night. There were no dreams, only me lying awake. It was almost like Bo had said, the Sandman didn't visit me. All I wanted was one full night's sleep, but that was proving to be very difficult. Every time I closed my eyes I saw his face, his stench drifted around me like he was standing in the room with me, and not lying in a grave somewhere where he belonged. But that wasn't the only face that haunted me last night, Danny never left me. His bloodied face with sad eyes that begged me to pull the trigger kept poking at my sane state. His soft moans of pain drifted through my ears like he was really lying there next to me, and I couldn't do anything about it. I had sleeping pills in my bag that my doctor had prescribed for me, but I didn't see the point in drinking them, they wouldn't solve the problem, they would just cause me to ignore my thoughts, and I needed to face them if I wanted to get better. But I still had my fears, and I feared that my current worst enemy would be getting enough sleep and keeping those dreams away.

So now I stood in front of my mirror, staring at myself with a frown. I had no strength to start this day and honestly, I just wanted to retreat to my spot in the woods so I could have some time to myself where I wasn't in hearing range. I wanted to scream, cry, and laugh all at once. I just wasn't sure which one I was supposed to do first. I shoved my diary to the bottom of my bag as well last night, I didn't want to write in it anymore because every time I did all I wrote about was how bad I was doing. I wanted to focus more on the positive. I had spent all those months of my life recovering physically and emotionally, but I was done feeling sorry for myself, I wanted to do better.

I heard a slight knock on my door, followed by my mother's soft voice as she called out to me. I went to the door, and opened it slowly, "Good morning."

My mother smiled, greeting me with happiness as she stepped into my room, "I'm going to the country club in fifteen minutes, will you be joining me?"

I inhaled deeply, debating with myself if I really wanted to spend my day at the country club when my mother was going to work the whole time anyway. But I could see the desperation in her eyes, she wanted me there with her, and I knew it was because she wanted to keep an eye on me. I smiled, "Sure, just let me grab something to eat first."

"Not needed my love," she said as she made her way to the door again, "I've arranged for breakfast. Also, sweetheart, Dyson left with your father, go and ask Bo if she wants to join us, she's in the dining room. The girl hasn't seen the club and I would love to have her there."

I nodded and closed the door as soon as she left, my heart beating faster now. If Bo was coming too then maybe it wouldn't be so bad. I grabbed my phone and put on some perfume before I went downstairs. I could hear my mother talk to Frank outside, setting up a driving schedule. I smiled at her need to control every situation, it was frustrating and satisfying all in the same sense. I rounded the corner into the dining room, spotting Bo sitting at the table behind her laptop, she was typing away at something, with a frown that was actually quite adorable. I knocked lightly on the wall, pulling her eyes from her computer to me, and immediately a smile replaced her frown.

Did this woman ever stop smiling? I walked into the room and took a seat across from her, "Are you busy today or do you have time to accompany me and my mother to the country club?"

Bo's smile faded, and she looked down at her work, "Did Dyson ask you to invite me?"

I frowned, shaking my head, "No he didn't." That caused her to look at me again, so I continued, "Honestly, it would mean a lot to me if you came along, I'm sure my mother is going to be too busy to spend time with me. I'm going to need someone there with me." I winked at her.

And there it was, her smile returned, but not just any smile, it was the one I had only seen once, the one with that dimple on her cheek that sent me chewing the inside of my own cheek. She nodded and closed her laptop. We stood up together when my mother called us from outside, she was clearly in a hurry. When Bo stood, I noticed her outfit, and that she looked great today. Her shirt made her toned arms look good and her hair was up in a ponytail, showing off her long neck. I smiled nervously at her as we walked outside together, Frank and my mother were already in the car, ready to go. Bo and I got in the back, and we were on our way. The country club was about ten minutes away from here, and it was my mother's pride and joy. She had been the owner of it for over ten years and it was still the talk of the town. It only made sense that we would have the party there tomorrow, it was easily accessible to everyone and it had the perfect vibe.

While we drove, I found it difficult not to glance at Bo, and to do it without my mother noticing, because she was constantly checking on me. I knew my mother was worried about me, but for once in my life I really needed her to back off and not pay attention to me because she was making my forbidden attraction worse. I couldn't help myself, Bo was attractive and there was something about her that made me want to be in her company all the time, and that had me admiring her beauty every two seconds. Luckily she was staring at the scenes as they passed us by so she had no idea of the battle I was fighting, and it was good because I had no right to feel these things towards her. But I also couldn't deny the fact that Bo was the first woman I had found interesting in a very, very long time, and I wasn't sure how I was going to handle that. My attraction towards women was something I hadn't addressed with my family, they were so traditional they just wouldn't understand, and my mother gave up finding me a suitor a long time ago when all I did was show them the door. It was a subject that never needed to be brought up, because after college I never found someone again, which was why the whole idea of Bo was scaring me.

We pulled up at the main gates, cruising onto the beautiful grounds of the club. My mother was giddy with excitement as she stepped out and shouted at people carrying trays with wine glasses into the huge hall. I smiled as Bo and I got out of the car, she came around to my side, smiling just as wide, "This place is breathtaking."

I nodded, taking in my surroundings. Beautiful buildings were situated on these grounds, eating halls, sleeping quarters, dancing halls, golf courses, swimming pools, tennis courts, the works. I could truly say that my mother had outdone herself with this place because it was a smashing success. I glanced at Bo who was standing quite close to me, and the slight breeze we were experiencing caused the most amazing smell of vanilla to drift from Bo to my nose, and it was like a train hit me. I fidgeted nervously with my hands, smiling at her to try and hide the blush that wanted to rear its ugly head, "I hope you haven't eaten because my mother has arranged for breakfast."

Bo nodded with gleaming eyes, "Luckily I haven't, and I'm starving."

And with that we left my mother to do her business since she had already gone off on her own mission, giving out orders and what not. I directed Bo to the nice little café, and we got seated right away. I felt satisfied, my mother's personnel knew their story and I was happy to see such quick service because Bo and I hadn't even been seated for ten minutes and we already had drinks on our table. I was drinking tea, and Bo was drinking coffee, of course, she was a coffee person. I shook my head at my feeling of jubilance just because I knew her beverage preference, I was being silly. I smiled at Bo, "What are you in the mood for?" I asked while scanning my menu.

Bo did the same, her eyes running over the menu. I took the chance to look at her hands again. I couldn't get over the fact that Bo had such beautiful hands, it amazed me and it was becoming one of my favourite things about her. She hummed, "Well I can't decide on chocolate chip pancakes with french toast, or the colonel breakfast."

My mouth fell open at her words. Did Bo really just point out the two biggest breakfast options on the menu? I felt my heart twist as butterflies flipped shit, in a good way. This woman had a healthy appetite and, I loved that! I smiled widely at her, "I think I'll match you with those pancakes and french toast. You have a good eye."

Bo nodded in agreement, "I know, why do you think I'm letting you sit with me?"

I chuckled, shaking my head at her and put in our orders. The waiter shuffled off quickly and I gripped my tea. I found myself wanting, no, craving to know more about Bo. So I leaned back, eyeing her intently, "Tell me more about yourself Bo."

My request seemed to have caught her off guard because she gave me an amused smirk as an answer before she spoke, "What do you want to know?"

"Anything," I said, waving my hand around, "Something true to you."

She raised her brows, taking a few seconds to think about my words, before she nodded and leaned back as well, smiling at her answer, "Well, my full name is Ysabeau Dennis."

"Ysabeau," I said, as if tasting it on my tongue, "It's a unique name, who gave you the nickname?"

She smiled sincerely, seeming to drift off to the past for a second, "My grandmother, granny Dennis as I used to call her. When I was born, my mother told her the name and she said it was too serious for a little girl, so she gave me the nickname Bo, and it stuck."

I listened, nodding when she finished, "I think granny Dennis and I would have gotten along just fine."

"Why?" She asked, raising a brow while she stared at me with soft, gleamy eyes.

"Because, Ysabeau is a beautiful name, but Bo fits you, it's cute."

The last word slipped out of my mouth before I could even stop it, and my eyes widened as soon as I realised what I had said. But Bo didn't seem phased by it, she accepted it like me complimenting her was a regular, natural thing, and immediately that dreaded feeling of fear returned. Luckily our food arrived, saving me from my stupidity.

Bo eyed her food with hearty eyes and rubbed her hands together, "Are you ready to dig in?"

I smiled at her, "Whenever you are, but you still have to tell me something more about you."

Bo nodded, picking up her cutlery, "How about this, I tell you something about me, and you tell me something about you. That means it's your turn now because I already shared."

I glared at her, "Once again, you're evil."

She laughed, shrugging playfully and popped a bite of her pancakes into her mouth, and when she got a bit of chocolate syrup on her lip, I felt compelled to reach over and wipe it off, but I couldn't and it frustrated me to the point of no return. Luckily she did and it stopped bothering me. Throughout breakfast, I managed to avoid the sharing game when I diverted her mind with questions about her photography. The moment I asked her about it, her face lit up like I had never seen it before, and she rambled on about her love of nature and how she took numerous photography courses. She impressed me, she knew her story and she still took photos every now and then. That told me she really did love photography because she didn't leave her camera on a shelf when she started her job.

I was two bites away from finishing my breakfast, and Bo was leaning back in her chair, rubbing her stomach, I smiled, "So you work in law, which department exactly?"

"I'm a prosecutor in common law. I wanted to settle for civil first, but I love the drama and common law is just so much more exciting. I'm considering a job offer in Canada at the moment."

I nearly choked on my food when Bo said her last sentence, I swallowed down hard and took a sip of water, "You're really considering moving to Canada?"

"Yes," she said, nodding as she reached for her water, "Toronto to be exact."

I felt my heart sigh, internally slapping me left and right. I lived in Toronto. I smiled at Bo, "Well, if you happen to accept the offer, I live in Toronto, so I'll be happy to show you around."

Bo's eyes widened, "Why do you keep surprising me, Lewis?"

I couldn't deny the fact that I enjoyed it when Bo called me Lewis. It was playful and something different for once. I shrugged, "I told you I'm awesome when we went out for the ride."

She chuckled, and when the waiter came to our table, we let him clear our plates. I smiled at Bo, "Are you ready for some sightseeing?"

Bo pulled a face, rubbing her stomach, "I'm never lazy, but I'm afraid walking will not be my best friend with all of the food I just ate."

I laughed at Bo and lead her out of the café, "Don't worry about it. We can take the golf cart." I said as I pointed at a few resting in front of the cafe.

I saw a look of relief cross her features, and I smiled. I sent my mother a text to let her know that I was stealing one for the day and got in the cart with Bo. I turned to her, "So, where to madam? The enchanted garden or the river?"

Bo shook her head, smiling, "Surprise me, kind soul, take me on an adventure:"

I nodded, "Alrighty then."

And off we went, I decided to take Bo to the river first, where we threw some stones and chatted about this and that. We kept the conversation light and I enjoyed it. Bo looked great while doing everything, from picking up a leaf to laughing at one of my stupid jokes, she was having fun and it was making me feel satisfied because she didn't look upset like she did this morning. I was enjoying this day more than I thought I would, and it was Bo who made it so entertaining. She had the dryest sense of humour and had me laughing straight out my stomach many times. Next, I took her for a drive through the golf course and we had a milkshake near the water, I learned another one of her preferences and that was that she loved lime milkshakes. Something I couldn't agree on because chocolate was the way to go, but it made her even more unique, and I enjoyed that about her. She was different, a good different.

We cruised on the grounds of the club, and I wanted to know how the hall was coming along for tomorrow, so we went there, and I parked the cart. Bo and I got out, and small pebbles crunched under our feet as we walked to the entrance. When we entered, I heard my mother shouting something at someone. She seemed a bit frustrated, but that was understandable. The hall looked great, large round tables with black and white coverings made the place look like a five-star event. I glanced at the silver chandelier hanging from the ceiling, it was new, the last time I was here it had been different. It was a nice change.

Bo nudged me with her elbow, "This place looks amazing."

I nodded, leaning down to whisper in her ear, "Yes it does, but my mother doesn't think so."

Bo frowned, eyeing me, "How do you know that?"

I motioned at my mother, "See how she is standing with her hands on her hips, foot tapping while she's staring daggers at everyone? That means she is not satisfied and she's probably going to change something big."

Bo laughed slightly, "You can read people well then. Is there anything you can't do?"

"Well, I can't speak Spanish." I said flatly, shrugging as I looked around the hall.

Bo shook her head, "You're impossible."

"Lauren!" My mother shouted rather nervously as she walked over to us. Her heels echoed through the hall. She stopped in front of us, out of breath, "I need you, girls, to do me a favour."

I looked into her pleading eyes and nodded, "Of course mom."

She sighed, "Listen, the delivery boys took the wine to the wrong hall which means it's on the other side of the club, and the ice is in the wrong bloody kitchen. Will you girls please help me to get everything back here."

I smiled, nodding, "We'll take care of it."

My mother thanked us and went back to work. So I escorted Bo outside, "Okay so, I'll go to the far end of the club and you'll go to the kitchen."

Bo nodded, "Sounds good, but where's that?"

I chuckled as we got back in the cart, "I'm going to drop you off there so you can give them the orders and see to it that they take the ice to the right place. Then I'll come to pick you up." I held out my hand to her, "Let me give you my number, then you can let me know when you're done."

Bo narrowed her eyes at me and smirked, grabbing her phone from her back pocket and placed it in my hand. I typed my number in quickly and handed it back to her. And off we went. I dropped her off at the kitchen and head to the other hall. The cart didn't really have an impressive speed, but I went with it and before I knew it, I was at the hall. I got out of the cart and marched up to the driver, "Did you guys receive word that you're at the wrong post?"

I frowned at how I just used military terms. The young man nodded, "Yes ma'am, but we don't know where to go because this place has like four halls."

I smiled at him, completely understanding their mistake, the country club was a big place, "Get in and follow me."

We started up our vehicles and took the road back to the right hall. The ride back seemed to be taking longer than I thought it would. I drove silently when I felt my phone vibrate, and immediately I knew who it was. I smiled and answered, "All done?"

"Done and dusted Lewis, I'm ready to be transported."

I smiled at Bo's playfulness, "I'm on my way, sit tight."

I stopped and let the guys know where they were supposed to go and then made my way to Bo. She was sitting on the grass when I reached the kitchen, and I couldn't help but smirk when I stopped next to her, "You look like a lost preschooler."

She glared at me with a half smile and got up, claiming her seat next to me again. We made it back to the hall and saw my mother giving orders again at the delivery boys, she looked a little calmer right now. I smiled and faced Bo, "It's around four now, we still have an hour left for sightseeing. Any requests?"

Bo nodded excitedly, "You never showed me the enchanted garden. It was something like that I think."

I nodded as well, "Good point, let's go then."

We cruised down the stoned path, pointing at various birds as we spotted them. I noticed that Bo was really enjoying herself, this happy face was much better than the awkward one around Dyson I saw yesterday right before and after we went horse riding. She was calm, open, happy and chatty. It led me to believe that this was the best side of Bo someone could ever see, and it was amazing. Her dimple was constantly present in our conversation, it was one of the things that made her natural sexy movements softer. Bo had this vibe dancing around her that oozed intensity and sexiness, I had no other words to explain it. We came to a stop where the green board indicated that we had arrived at our destination and I was excited to enter the garden, it had been so long.

Bo and I got out, and I smiled at her, "Afer you."

She nodded and entered the garden and I followed. Immediately we were surrounded by large shrubs that stood high from the ground, vines growing above us and flowers all around. This garden was a maze, an easy one, but it was absolutely beautiful and intense. It was one of those places that made you calm down and think about your life. Bo was all smiles as she looked at everything around her, we walked slowly around the different twists and turns that existed in this area. I could feel that there was some sort of atmosphere around us, and I couldn't quite place it.

"You never held up your end of the deal Lauren." She said softly, looking at the flowers to her left.

I was wondering when she was going to say something about that. I sighed, raking my brain for something to say, and I smiled, "Well since you started with your name, did you know I have a middle name?"

Bo glanced at me, raising a brow, "Please do tell."

"My middle name is Amelia. My mother thought it good that her name gets carried on as well." I laughed slightly, "I think she wants a part of her to be continued, which I agree with, it's not fair that only my father's name can be carried forward."

Bo nodded, "I agree with that, I wouldn't want my name to die down either."

I smiled, liking the fact that she stood on that level with equality. I nudged her, "Your turn."

"Uhm." She pondered, pressing her lips together, "That camera in your room seems to be a classy lady, do you think she will pose a threat to any newcomers, not of the metal kind?"

I frowned as I glanced at Bo, finding her question rather strange, and I was afraid I knew exactly what she was saying, "That wasn't something about you."

"Rules are meant to be broken aren't they?"

I forced my eyes away from her, walking around the corner into an area with a pond, surrounded by yellow and blue flowers. I gazed at Bo as we came to a stop by the water, watching the koi fish swim around, "I don't think so, it depends."

"On what?" She asked rather quickly, resting her hands on the rim of the pond to get a better look.

I sighed, following her movements, "Why did you act like we hadn't met when Dyson introduced us?"

She glanced at me, swallowing as she blinked a few times, "You didn't answer my question."

I stood up then, and she followed me, "I can say the same about you."

I watched as a wicked smile spread across Bo's face, her eyes gleaming with excitement. I found myself standing quite close to her, and it made my heart start beating a bit faster. Her scent danced around me again, her brown eyes boring into mine like she had something to say. She tipped her head to the side, "I'm thirty-one."

What did she just say? I narrowed my eyes at her attempt to suddenly change the subject. She seemed nervous now, and I inhaled deeply, "Smooth." I said as I turned around and walked to the next exit, stopping before rounding the corner, "Guess we're the same age."

It wasn't long until Bo was at my side again, smiling widely, "You don't say."

"What, I don't look my age?"

Bo smiled, "You look younger honestly."

I shook my head at her, she was avoiding my question the best she could. I looked at the plants that were found in this part, smiling as leaves rustled slightly because of the light breeze, it was calming. Then I spotted something, flowers that held the exact definition of the woman standing next to me. They were a deep purple colour, an intense colour. I walked over to them slowly, Bo followed naturally and on a whim, I picked one, knowing that if Bo really loved nature she would know what I was trying to say. I held the flower out to her, swallowing dryly and she took it, giving me a cautious smile, "Calla Lilies."

I nodded and kept walking slowly, giving her no time to reply. I didn't possess the confidence to straight up tell Bo that I thought she was beautiful, and the flower represented beauty since it was named after a Greek word that meant beauty. The fact that Bo knew which flower it was meant she knew what I was trying to tell her, I just couldn't bring myself to actually voice it, because this woman, whom I was undoubtedly attracted to, was my brother's girlfriend. But Bo didn't follow me, she stood at her place, "Lauren." She called out to me.

I stopped walking and turned around. She smiled softly at me. Bo opened her mouth to say something, and I waited in anticipation, but she seemed to be struggling to find her words, "Lauren I-"

Just then, my phone started ringing, cutting off her words. A look of disappointment crossed her features, and I rolled my eyes, slipping my phone out of my back pocket. My mother was calling and I answered quickly, learning that she wanted to go home, saying that something needed her attention. I issued a quick goodbye and looked at Bo, swallowing dryly when she was staring at the ground.

"We have to go, my mother is ready to head home."

Bo nodded and turned around, I fell into stride next to her, raking my brain for something to say. She hopped into the cart with an expression I couldn't read, and instantly I regretted what I had done. It was stupid of me to pull something like that, especially after I had only known Bo for a few days. Maybe it was all just my imagination, the tension I felt when I was in her company, but it couldn't have been my imagination. How was it possible to get along with someone that quickly? I drove us back to the car with my mind running rampant, thinking about how I just made Bo completely uncomfortable and how she was probably going to tell Dyson. I avoided her when we got into the car, not glancing at her while we drove home. My mother was giddy with excitement as she rambled on about this and that and how excited she was about tomorrow. I only participated in the conversation with slight nods here and there and smiled every time she looked back at me.

I felt stupid for my behaviour.

When we arrived home my mother hopped out and practically ran inside the house, excited to tell my father everything she had prepared. I got out slowly, Bo gave me a tight smile as we walked silently to the house. She was fiddling with the flower, and it was making me even more nervous. When we entered the house, I closed the door softly behind me. Bo and I were standing in between the two pillars, quite close to each other, in silence as we stared at each other. I was having trouble breathing, because not only did I just pull something stupid back there, but I quite possibly could have pushed Bo away from me. I wanted to ask her what she was thinking, I was having trouble reading her, she was such a complex woman, something I was starting to love about her, but just this once I wanted to know.

"Lauren?" That was when someone scared the shit out of me. Her voice was all too familiar.

Both Bo and I looked to the side, and who I saw made me want to cry, and laugh all at the same time. I frowned, "Tamsin?"

The only thing I felt in this moment was Bo tensing next to me, and my own body erupting with happiness. I left Bo's side and practically ran to the bottom of the stairs where Tamsin was smiling at me, and her arms fell open to accept the embrace she knew was coming her way. I reached her and wrapped my arms around her neck, inhaling deeply to get the soft natural smell of my best friend whom I had missed dearly during these two years. I half laughed from joy and pulled out of the hug with tears in my eyes.

Tamsin rolled her eyes playfully with a smile, "Guess who Bitch."

I laughed again, wiping at a stray tear as it escaped, "I can't believe you came."

"Well believe it." Tamsin smiled and looked past me, then her smile intensified and she walked to Bo, "You must be Bo. Dyson has told me a lot about you. Welcome to the family Dennis." She raised her hand in greeting, and Bo looked like she had seen a ghost while she shook Tamsin's hand.

I felt stupid for making things worse for Bo in that moment, because not only did she have things with Dyson that obviously needed to be sorted out, now she had my little stunt to analyse and Tamsin's words of our family to haunt her. I shook my head, my stomach doing the twist like it was on a seventies dance show as I tried to think of a way to make this easier for Bo. Her happy brown eyes were fearful now, and it was not the look I wanted to see when I stared at them, she didn't deserve that.

Dyson came walking down the hall, doing his out of the throat nature call he invented with Tamsin many years ago, and she returned it, turning around and high fived him. I smiled at two of them interacting and teasing one another like they were kids. They had been best buddies since I introduced Tamsin as my best friend in college, they had this instant connection and they were like twins, it was strange that Dyson and I shared the same best friend since we were actually so different, but it didn't bother me much, Tamsin was like family to both of us.

Dyson smiled, "So, movie night? All of us, ten minutes?"

Tamsin nodded, "Roger that."

They looked at me and Bo, and both of us just nodded. I watched then as Dyson walked over to Bo, gently taking her elbow so they could head upstairs, and Bo glanced at me, with longing eyes that made me want to be alone with her again. I watched them walk upstairs until they were out of sight.

Tamsin appeared at my side, "Come on, time to put on pyjamas so we can watch some horrors."

I rolled my eyes and laughed at her as we headed upstairs to get ready, I had missed her more than I thought and I couldn't wait to have some time alone with her so she could tell me everything she had been up to. We made it back downstairs after we both showered and got dressed, Bo and Dyson were already waiting for us downstairs. There was still a vibe hanging around those two, it had me wondering what was really going on between them. We settled on some horror film where the blonde was of course the one who died first, something that angered me since horror movies had this shitty stigma that the blonde woman was supposed to be this blonde bombshell with big breasts that couldn't think for herself and who had to die first. But, all while we were watching the movie, Dyson and Tamsin sat next to each other on one couch, making comments and laughing at people being slaughtered. While Bo and I were seated on the same couch as last night. We kept glancing at each other, not paying much attention to the film, all I could think about was how gorgeous she was looking now, and how beautiful she looked in the garden this afternoon when I gave her that stupid flower only she knew the meaning of. For some reason, right now I didn't regret giving to her anymore. In my opinion, it was totally unacceptable that Dyson made Bo sit next to me, not that I was complaining but still. He was acting like a child in their first relationship, making fun of her for the most stupid reasons and shooting down any ideas she put forth for possible movies, which was unnecessary since Bo suggested many movies way better than the one we were currently watching.

We finished our movie night when we grew tired, Tamsin and Bo had already passed out. I rubbed my eyes and stared at the credits as they rolled over the screen. I snatched the remote off of the coffee table and turned off the TV, grabbing the popcorn bowl along with our glasses and took it to the kitchen. When I returned, Dyson and Tamsin were gone. Immediately I put two and two together that Dyson just made an effort to take Tamsin upstairs before Bo, and I felt my blood start to boil. I glanced at Bo, she was sleeping peacefully, snoring lightly and I was convinced it was the cutest thing I had ever seen. I studied her closely, she was frowning slightly, her pink lips also with a slight pout and my heart melted, only patting me on the back for giving her that flower. I wanted nothing more than to sit down next to her and have her rest her head in my lap so I could play with her hair while she slept peacefully.

Dyson came down the stairs then, scratching his head while yawning. I turned to him, and I couldn't help myself, "What is your problem?"

Dyson frowned, "Excuse me?"

I lowered my voice a bit, not wanting to wake up Bo, "What is your problem? You've been treating Bo like she's not important all night, and what is this shit about taking Tamsin upstairs before her?" I said while pointing at Bo.

He rolled his eyes, "You're imagining things. I'm back to take her to bed now, aren't I?"

"That's not the point Dyson, you're not being fair and you know that. She doesn't deserve the way you're treating her."

"Lauren, what does it matter to you anyway? Bo is my girlfriend I can do as I please."

I raised my brows at him, my eyes widening in the process, was he being serious? I shook my head, "Do you hear yourself? What has gotten into you Dyson, this person, " I said while moving my hands at him, "Is not my brother, what's going on?"

"Lauren."

The word came out in a faint whisper and both Dyson and I looked at a tired Bo, sitting up on the couch, looking tired and ready for bed. She stood up and walked to Dyson, her hand falling to his forearm, "Let's go to bed."

I clenched my jaw, I didn't like this. Bo was trying to keep the peace, I was not afraid of taking on my brother about this, about anything. But especially this because it was Bo we were talking about here. Dyson glared at me and left the room, while Bo eyed me with an expression I really couldn't read, an expression that had numerous emotions exploding deep within me, an expression that had me wanting to pull her into me and hug her until all of this went away.

I watched as she retreated upstairs, shaking her head slightly and I groaned while making my way upstairs as well. I was beyond tired, all I needed was my bed and some rest.

I went to bed with an overflowing mind. This day had been strange. Bo and I really bonded over a day at the country club where it was just us, and I found myself loosening up and becoming relaxed when I was around her. She had this way of drawing out my fun side and I loved that. Bo was something else, she was, astounding, pure, beautiful, bewildering and extraordinary all in one.

I fell asleep with the thought of Bo Dennis, my heart dancing in my chest, giddy with admiration.

And quite frankly, it was scaring the hell out of me, because not only did she now know I thought that about her, but I had raised red flags with Dyson downstairs, something I wasn't prepared for.


	5. Chapter 5

**N: Honestly, this chapter is a mess, I'm tired and I have a massive headache. I hope it is at least enjoyable. Things will be getting a bit more serious from this point on, so I'll need some time to figure out what comes next.**

 **Any and all mistakes are mine.**

* * *

 _"Lauren no!" Danny screamed at me as he watched me move in on the leader, his shouting was a high-pitched, piercing sound that made the hair on the back of my neck stand up._

 _I didn't think, I moved quickly and attacked him from the back, grabbing his weapon from his holster and knocked him solidly on the back of his head, sending him tumbling to the ground successfully. I wasted no time, I spun around and started firing shots, taking out as much of the enemy I could._

 _But it wasn't good enough, someone grabbed me from behind and picked me off of the ground, strong arms hurting my already bruised, possibly broken ribs and threw me down on the ground. Before I could reach for the gun that had_ fallen _from my grip, he stepped on my hand, the same man that had been hitting me for days to get answers as soon as I knocked him on the ground, he was up again, ready to torture me further. His sweat dripped from his head onto my forehead, making me cringe and scream at him that I was_ going _to kill him._

 _He tiled his head to the side like he was watching a film, amused by my struggling, "You're going to kill me?" He asked, and started laughing, a sound that had me squinting it sounded so insidious._

 _He bent down, his hand that carried my own blood went to my hair and pulled me up and off of the ground, ripping my hand out from under the boot that had been pressing on it. I groaned in pain as I was forced to my knees, his grip on my hair tightening, he bent down, "You're going to kill me? You're... going... to... kill... me?" He started shouting the words, only getting more and more riled up the more he said it, and my fear doubled in a split second._

 _"Nobody dies if I don't let them die." He said, his accent making me nauseous. He held out his hand, and one of his men placed a gun in it. He bent down,_ _his grip on my hair still at full force, and forced the gun into my sore hand. I crined at the feeling, but I didn't allow them to see how weak I was feeling. He looked at me, and then at Danny, pointing at him, "Shoot him."_

 _My eyes widened as I looked at him, "What?"_

 _The man laughed, looking like he was gaining pleasure from this, "I said shoot him, kill him."_

 _I started shaking my head, rambling as fast as I could that this wasn't necessary, that they wouldn't get anything out of_ this _. But that only seemed to anger him, because he spoke a few words and next thing I saw two men_ grabbing _Danny and bringing him to his knees. The man who had been torturing me profusely yanked me up and onto my feet, forcing me forward and out of nowhere placed another gun to my head. My breath hitched in my throat, and he half shouted, "Kill him, or I kill you."_

 _I shook my head, pleading that this wasn't the way_ _when he screamed again one of his men came and grabbed my hands, forcing both of them onto the gun and lifted them, pointing them at Danny, the man's grip was tight over my hands, forcing my finger onto the trigger._

 _"Shoot him!" The leader said, and his men cheered._

 _"No!" I screamed._

 _"Lauren just_ _do_ _it, pull the trigger!_ _" Danny shouted, tears in his eyes. I shook my head again, crying, feeling warm tears run down my cheeks. Everyone was shouting, and Danny was being brave, "Lauren, Lauren listen to me, pull the trigger, give them what they want. Lauren please, do it. Just do it!"_

 _"No Danny!"_

 _"Shoot him!"_

 _"Lauren pull the trigger goddamit!"_

 _I was shaking, crying and screaming, my voice_ hoarse _and unable to penetrate through everyone's orders._

 _"Lauren please just do it!" Danny pleaded, tears running down his face._

 _And before anything else could happen, multiple shots were fired. What I saw, broke me. I watched as Danny shook violently as one of the men emptied his magazine into his body, sending him tumbling to the ground and lying there lifelessly, blood pooling around him.I screamed, struggling in the grip the men had on me, I wanted to get to Danny, hold him while he gave his last breath. All I heard was the sound of them laughing._

 _Then I felt a blow to my head and everything went black._

I jerked awake when I landed on the floor with a hard thud, grunting as I clutched my stomach. I went to my knees within a split second, heaving violently as emotions and fear coursed through my veins, but nothing happened. I was nauseous and tears were running down my cheeks, reminding me of that day in the worst way possible.

I choked out a sob and collapsed on the floor again, crying more than I wanted to. I was sweating profusely, my clothes clung to my body in a way that had me scrambling to rip them off. Wobbly, I got to my feet and removed my clothes as I stumbled into the bathroom, crying as far as I went. I got into the shower as soon as possible and allowed the hot water to beat down on my skin that was already on fire. I scrubbed at my skin like my life depended on it. Like I was washing away the blood that stained my hands for days after that terrible time. My vision was blurred, only adding to my panicked and dishevelled state. It felt like everything was coming back in the worst way possible.

When I got out of the shower, I was still crying, and I rested my elbows on the counter, my head slipping through my hands as I rested it on the counter. I stood there, naked and doubled over with that horrible man's voice ringing in my ears, telling me to pull the trigger and shoot my partner so I could live, so I could give them the information I wanted. The fear in Danny's eyes haunted me, it mocked me, testing my strength with every laboured breath I took. I stood up, wiping at the mirror so I could see myself, and I wiped my tears so I could calm down. I flinched when I caught sight of the scar on my side, another sob following and it sent me falling to my feet. I rested my back and head against the counter, breathing heavily until I calmed down.

I stared at nothing as I sat there in a comatose state, for nearly an hour, thinking about everything and once again wondering how everything took such a turn for the worst on my last job. I had no idea how I had gotten out of it alive.

* * *

"Lauren."

I frowned, tightening my grip on my pillow.

"Lauren." The soft whisper came through again and a gentle hand landed on my shoulder. I cracked open a tired eye, feeling how puffy my eyes were as I stared at nothing, blinking slowly. My body didn't want to move, it was like I was glued to my bed.

"Time to wake up sleepy head, it's after ten already." Tamsin's voice was sweet and caring as it graced my ears.

I swallowed dryly and turned slightly, coming face to face with a soft smiling Tamsin. She sat down on the side of the bed, a worried expression crossing her features, "Lauren, are you okay?"

Inhaling deeply, I forced out a smile and started sitting up, enjoying the feeling of how my clothes weren't clinging to a sweaty body, it was something that made me feel a bit better already, "Yes, I'm just tired." I said in a raspy voice, doing my best to make it look and sound believable.

She nodded, smiling, "Well, we already had breakfast, and Bo asked about you so I came upstairs to check on you."

"Bo asked about me?" I questioned, feeling my body come alive.

"Yes," Tamsin started, "Get up, it's a nice day out and we want to go down to the river. But before we go, Dyson asked that you meet him in his room. Also, your mother saved you some breakfast, it's in the microwave. She left and your father did too to finalise everything for tonight."

I nodded slowly, taking in everything she was saying, "I'll be down in a few."

Tamsin nodded and stood up, "Hurry up."

When she left my room, I closed my eyes, allowing my hands to catch my head so I could mentally prepare myself for this day. I wasn't feeling good after everything that happened last night, my dream dug up everything I had tried to force down the halls were memories were lost. It ripped my heart right out of my chest and if I had another night like that, I knew I wouldn't be able to get myself off of the floor like I did last night to take a shower. I rubbed my eyes, they were sore and puffy and I felt extremely tired. Maybe it was a good idea to stay in my room today and face those photos I took in Afghanistan. I sent them in the moment I was safe and physically strong enough, but I needed to decide what I was going to do with them. I just didn't know where I was going to find the strength.

I forced myself out of bed, dragging my feet across my floor to my dresser. I pulled on some khaki shorts, and a comfortable white T-shirt, since we were going down to the river I didn't feel like much effort was necessary. After I pulled my hair up into a ponytail and washed my face, I started coming alive again and I felt ready to face the day. I stared at myself in the mirror, I looked tired, more tired than I thought I would, but at least my eyes weren't that puffy anymore. I sighed as I walked past my camera and pulled my door open, mentally preparing myself to face Dyson. I walked down the hall slowly, and came to a stop at his closed door, inhaling deeply before knocking.

I could hear him telling me to enter, and I did, slowly. When I entered the room, he was sitting on the side of his bed, his back to me with his head hanging low. I closed the door slowly behind me, "Dyson."

His head moved slowly, but he didn't look at me, "Why didn't you tell me you were going to join the army?"

My breath caught in my throat and I blinked, not understanding where that had come from, I said the first thing that came to mind, "It's complicated."

"I need to know why you left without telling me you were going Lauren, please." He said, sounding rather upset, but not in an aggressive way, in a defeated way. His hands were clenching the sheets and his head was still low. He was struggling with this.

I sighed, moving slowly and gave a few steps forward, "I knew that you would've tried to stop me."

"You're damn right I would have." His tone came out a little harsh as he lifted his head and looked at me, he clenched his jaw, "You could've gotten yourself killed Lauren, that place is not meant for you."

"I'm well aware of the fact that I could've died, that place is not meant for anyone. It just felt like the right thing to do at the time."

He frowned, shaking his head while he stared at me and I was taken back when his eyes were red and glossed over, "Like the right thing to do? When is running straight into a battlefield ever the right thing to do?" Dyson turned, facing me completely, "You've always been the one to make bold decisions, moving to Canada was one of them, but dammit Lauren joining the army is a whole other ballgame."

I closed my eyes, feeling a headache coming my way, this was not the conversation I wished to have after the night I had. I tried to keep it light, "In my defence, technically I didn't join the army, I was there as a war photographer."

"And look how that turned out for you, eventually you had to be a soldier and fight like the rest of them."

I felt my chest tighten as memories flooded my mind of times where I had to pick up a gun and defend myself, especially that night. It was easy enough for me to say I was just there as a war photographer, it made it easier for those around me to digest, but I went through training just like everyone else did. I sighed, "What does it matter now anyway? I'm home like I promised I would be and I'm ready to carry on with my life."

"It matters to me!" He half shouted, a tear running down his face and he stood up, "You're my sister Lauren, the day mom called me to tell me you went to war, I thought that I would never see you again! You didn't allow me to reach out to you, and when you got here, I almost-" he shut his eyes, shaking his head, "What on this earth possessed you?"

I knew that Dyson was really upset with me, and he was mainly upset because I didn't tell him and because I could've gotten hurt. But I didn't like it that he made it sound like I wasn't able to handle myself out there, I didn't have to justify my actions. Going to Afghanistan was my decision, even if I wished most of the memories away of the time I spent there. I clenched my jaw, "Because I felt passionate about it. People aren't aware of what's going on in most of the war areas, they go on with their everyday lives without a single thought to the soldiers who put their lives on the line to protect them. That place is horrible Dyson, it's a place I never want to return to, but I'm going to make a difference with the things I caught on film there whether you like it or not."

He stood up, walking to stand in front of me, "Was making a change really worth risking your life?"

I pressed my lips together, he was being impossible. I looked around the room, at his closet and then to my left where a dresser was located and what I saw momentarily made my heart skip. There was the flower I gave Bo last night, it was resting peacefully on the dresser in a glass of water to make it last longer. My heart jumped out of my chest, making me believe that the fact that she kept it only meant one thing. I forced myself not to smile in this moment and looked at Dyson again who was still staring at me with a less than friendly expression. I sighed, "You're arguing about something that already happened. My time in the army is up, I'm never going back, is that what you want to hear? I never accepted your letters or anyone's letters for that matter because I knew none of you would understand my reason for leaving and I didn't want to bicker about it out there. Just like you don't understand my reason for choosing photography over the family business."

Dyson shook his head, his eyes shifting from anger to sincerity, "Don't say that, I'm not dad. I understand why you chose photography, it's your passion in life, but I don't want you doing dangerous things to capture the art you see in war.

My jaw twitched, I already explained to him why I went and he still didn't get it, "I never said there's art in war, it's nothing but blood, tears and fear. I want to make people aware of that like I already said. I can't fully explain my motivation for going, it's like when you know something you just know and you can't resist it. But, I'm not going back, I achieved what I wanted and I'm back now."

"I know, I'm sorry. I just can't go through another two years of not knowing whether or not you'll come home or not. I understand now why you went, I just wish you would've told me earlier, I'll always support you."

I closed my eyes, tears threatening to spill, "Then support me by coming to my award ceremony."

Dyson blinked, shifting his weight to his other foot, "An award ceremony?"

I nodded slowly, smiling lightly, "I received the letter two days before I came home, it's in a month."

He smiled at me, his eyes lighting up again and he opened his arms. I obliged and hugged him, enjoying how safe it made me feel, this was the brother I wanted, the soft, caring one, not the one I saw last night. He sighed, "I'll be there. I'm sorry for the way I reacted, sometimes I just don't understand your reasons for doing certain things, you've always been the weird one."

I pulled away and swatted him on his arm, "Speak for yourself."

He laughed and stepped back a bit, "I mean it, Lo, I'll always support you. You're my little sister, I'm always going to be there for you, I'll probably annoy you but get used to it. I will never look down on what you do for a living and I'll always stand behind you, no matter what."

His words warmed my heart. I nodded, "That's all I need."

He smiled then and straightened his shirt, "So I planned a day down at the river, shall we head downstairs, they're probably waiting for us."

I smiled tightly, "Before we go, about last night."

Dyson waved his hands, "I know, I'm sorry Lauren, you're right, I was being an asshole and Bo doesn't deserve that."

I eyed him, not actually believing that he felt sorry for it, "Good."

He nodded then and walked past me, leaving the room rather quickly. He was totally avoiding this. Something still felt off about this whole thing, but I was laying it to rest for the time being. I turned around again and inhaled deeply, finally allowing myself to smile when I glanced at the purple flower again, Bo kept it and that made me feel giddy and scared all in the same sense. I felt the strong urge to see her, remembering how Tamsin told me that Bo had asked her about me while I was sleeping. I left the room quickly, grabbing my sunglasses before I made my way to the rest of the group. I went downstairs, feeling much better about this day than I thought I would. I heard noise coming from the kitchen and made my way down the hall, rounding the corner and finding everyone standing by the island, eating snacks.

"There you are grandma." Tamsin said as she stuffed a meatball into her mouth.

"Good morning everyone." I said while entering.

Bo's eyes found mine immediately and she smiled nervously at me, quickly looking away again. I frowned slightly, but ignored it and bumped Tamsin as I walked past her to the fruit bowl and grabbed a banana, "When are we leaving?"

"Right now," Dyson said as he closed the cooler, "Mom packed a lot of snacks for us, so you can eat on the way or when we're there."

I raised my brows, "I'll stick with the banana for now."

He nodded and left the kitchen, Tamsin short on his trail with the fishing gear. I smiled at Bo and we left the kitchen together, walking in silence. All of us hopped into the Jeep, Bo and I sat in the back while Tamsin rode shotgun. I glanced at Bo who was staring at me for no reason and raised a brow, "Something wrong?"

She shook her head, her soft smile melting my heart, "Not at all."

I nodded at her and took a bite of my banana while slipping on my sunglasses. And off we were, we cruised down the curved road as we made our way to the river. I only noticed how beautiful this day was when I was done eating and actually sat back to take a look. The sun was high in the sky, there were no clouds and all the wonderful colours of nature that surrounded us seemed to be illuminated. I took the opportunity to look at Bo, she was smiling, her eyes darting in every direction while she looked at everything. My eyes travelled down her body and I shifted slightly at the sight, her toned thighs were provoking me to stare longer and her neck seemed to be drawing extra attention today since her hair was in a ponytail. Just then Bo turned and looked at me, catching me before I could look away and I smiled at her, hoping that I didn't make her uncomfortable, but to my surprise she returned a smile, and not just any smile, the one that was my favourite, the one that came with a dimple.

Within fifteen minutes we were at our destination, parking in the shade where there was some grass. All of us hopped out of the Jeep and made our way to the back, Dyson pulled out the cooler and Tamsin grabbed the fishing gear, I had no idea why they would want to spend their day fishing, but it had been one of their favourite things to do together since I could remember. Dyson opened the cooler and handed each of us a beer, and we held them up, making a toast in the name of tonight's party. We put on some music as well and Bo and I watched as those two raced each other down to the water and started setting up their gear. They were like little kids.

I smiled at Bo when we were completely alone and pulled a blanket out of the Jeep and threw it open. Bo followed me when I moved to sit down and she crossed her legs, eyeing me like I was a creature. I frowned at her, "Is there something on my face?"

She chuckled, shaking her head, "No, you just seem different today."

I smiled and looked inside the cooler, pulling out a full bottle of lemonade and showed it to Bo, "This is going to go down well later."

Bo nodded eagerly, "Definitely, I might ask your mother to send me a few gallons of her lemonade."

I chuckled, shaking my head, "If you do that she'll worship the ground you walk on, which I'm sure she already does. Did you form a close bond with her?"

Bo smiled devilishly at me, "If I tell you will it count as something about me and then you have to tell me something about you?"

I chuckled at Bo. She was sneaky. I narrowed my eyes at her, "No, that's not how the game works."

"Come on Lewis, break some rules." She said, gazing at me.

Her eyes were making me weak, and I sighed, "Fine."

Bo smiled, looking rather proud of herself, "Yes, we get along well, one could even say she likes me."

"That's not fair."

"What do you mean?" She asked, trying to suppress a smile.

"You tricked me, yours was too easy."

Bo raised her hands, "Life is unfair sometimes Lewis, get with the program."

My mouth fell open slightly, I was resisting the urge to start laughing at her, "Fine have it your way but I'm going to get you back for it."

"I'd love to see you try, but continue."

There she went again. I shook my head at her, smiling, "Okay uhm, let me think." I said while sipping my beer, "My favourite animal is a Zebra."

Bo's face did something I had never seen it do before. It was a mixture of a pout and a smile, a frown and an eyebrow raise and a face suppressing a laugh. I decided that I would call it the Bo look. She smiled then, clearly thinking that I was joking with her, "A Zebra?"

"Yes," I nodded, raising my brows at her, "I'm serious."

"And you said I'm the interesting one."

"When did I say that?" I teased, eyeing her from behind my drink.

"I know you think it." She said, smiling widely at me, her dimple entering the conversation.

She had me laughing yet again. Bo had this way of making me crawl out of my shell. Everything that happened last night, from my flower confession to my outburst with Dyson and my dream, she had this way of making me feel calm about all of it, simply because she kept her cool. Literally, Bo was so free and calm around me that it drifted over and filtered right through me. It was a feeling so new and so pure, that I wanted to protect it with everything I had. Bo was actually so pure even if she didn't notice it herself. Last night could have gone down bad, and Bo could have made it awkward today, but she didn't, she was being her normal self, plus the flower was resting on her dresser, in water might I add and that had me feeling giddy.

Dyson and Tamsin came back after a while, their hooks already in the water, I didn't know if they knew they wouldn't be catching anything good because it was a damn river but I was leaving them be to enjoy themselves. They got some sandwiches and new beers and went back to their post, once again leaving Bo and I alone and it had me believing that I would be spending the day with her, something I knew I wouldn't complain about, I loved being in her company. We chatted more and ate something as well, also heading down to the water to join the other two. Bo and I had a lot of fun together, she took her shoes off and got in the water with me, splashing me with water even though I warned her not to, laughing while running away from me. She was brave, but I got her back when I solidly pushed her into the water, never once did she complain though, she came out laughing and opened another bear with us. She was loads of fun, and I grew addicted to her giggle. Every time I looked into her eyes they were open, loving and happy, and it had me placing a hand on my chest to calm my heart. Dyson was better with her too today, I couldn't ignore the fact that it bothered me when he picked her up and spun her around and teased her, I had gotten to that point where I wanted to be the one to hug Bo and make her laugh by tickling her, but I couldn't.

Tamsin actually caught something, but she threw it back, causing Dyson to become competitive since they always were with each other, but he didn't catch anything.

The day went by quickly because before we knew it we had to head back to the house so we could get ready for the night. We had to be at the party in two hours. We drove back up to the house, listening to music while the wind whipped our hair around and cooled us. We headed upstairs rather quickly when we reached the house. I took a shower and put on some makeup, doing my hair in a style where I allowed it to lay to one side and curled some of it. I slipped on a long maroon gown that had an open back and stared at myself in the mirror when I was done. It was a huge change from the jeans and button down's I used to wear, and I felt confident in it.

I was busy finishing up my look when a soft knock landed on my door, and I walked over, opening it quickly. There Tamsin stood in a white gown that had her looking like an angel that had fallen from the sky. I smiled at her, "You clean up nice."

She rolled her eyes and pushed past me to enter my room. I closed the door while she turned around, "I need you to put this on for me please." She held out a necklace.

My smile intensified and I walked over to her, taking the necklace from her and put it on for her, "Thanks," she said as I walked to my dresser to dab on some perfume, "You look great Lauren, really."

I blushed shaking my head, "You must be tired, come on, let's go downstairs it's time to go."

"Before we do," Tamsin said, holding up a finger, "We need to talk, tomorrow I want some alone time with you."

I frowned slightly, "What is it about?"

She inhaled deeply, "It's not important right now, let's not waste any more time, we have to go."

I eyed her warily, unsure of what she was hinting at. But I nodded anyway, leaving it to tomorrow so it could get taken care of. I moved first and held the door open for her, but the moment Tamsin and I stepped out of our room, Dyson came out of his, slamming the door shut and rushed past us with a less than friendly look on his face. I looked at Tamsin with a puzzled expression, and she motioned to me that she would go after him. I nodded at her and watched as she went downstairs, I stood still for a moment, waiting to see if Bo was going to come out, but she didn't, so I made my way downstairs and waited since Dyson and Tamsin were outside talking. Dyson looked rather upset and his face was red, making me wonder what had happened in the short amount of time while we were getting ready.

After waiting for about ten minutes, I heard a door close upstairs, knowing it was her. I fiddled for a second, fixing my hair and stood at attention, suddenly feeling like she was my date and I wanted to impress her. What I saw took my breath away. There Bo stood at the top of the stairs in a black gown, her hair done to perfection and her smoky eyes stood out. She seemed rather dishevelled and stressed, obviously frustrated over what had happened. I inhaled deeply when she made her way downstairs, that dress hugged her curves in all the right ways and it had me blushing, wishing that she was not in a relationship so I could hold my arm out and escort her outside, knowing she was the lady on my arm that had me going crazy. When Bo looked at me, her troubled expression vanished and her own eyes widened and she seemed to be taking a deep breath, smiling widely at me as she descended the stairs. I felt my heart beat more and more with every step she took.

When she reached me I smiled at her, inhaling as her sweet scent danced over to me and graced my senses, "Ysabeau Dennis, you look dashing."

Bo tipped her head, "Thank you, Lady Lewis, I can say the same about you, maroon is definitely your colour." she said and threw in a wink.

Both of us laughed and headed outside where the other two were already in the car. Bo and I got in, but the drive to the country club was extremely awkward because everyone was silent. I was growing anxious, this drama between Bo and Dyson was not healthy and I didn't like seeing them in such a state. I could see that Tamsin had the urge to say something about this silence but she was holding her tongue, which was a smart move because we didn't need anything else to make this evening any more awkward and intense than it already was. Bo was fiddling with her bracelet, a simple silver band with diamonds, she was flushed and not for a good reason. I looked at her with longing eyes, resisting the urge to reach out and take her hand so she could calm down. It was becoming hard for me to keep my hands to myself, I wanted to touch Bo, in any way, even if it was just by gracing her arm, I wanted some form of contact with her, something close.

When we reached the country club, I smiled at the scene, fancy cars lined the way into the gates and once we were inside, all I could see was people looking fancy, women in their gowns and men in their suits. This was a big deal, my father was well known and this new brand of wine was going to make headlines. It was evident because I could see a photographer walking around with a journalist that was taking notes. Our doors were opened for us and we got out. Immediately I clenched my jaw because Dyson was at Tamsin's side as soon as the car was taken away. He was supposed to be at Bo's side, she was his lady, not Tamsin, what was going on with them? When I looked at Bo, she was frowning, so I went over to her and did what I wanted to do from the moment she came down those stairs, I held my arm out for her, smiling sincerely. I saw the sparkle in her eyes return and she smiled, reaching out and linking her hand with my arm. I felt my whole body come alive when she touched me, she was warm and it had me swallowing dryly.

It felt good to have her this close to me and I was now hyper-aware of her. We walked into the hall, my eyes widened when I took in the whole scene. I was right, my mother had changed the colours from black and white to black and gold, it looked a lot better and in my opinion, the whole hall looked like a five-star event. A waiter took our names and directed us to our table. I walked Bo over, smiling when I saw that her nametag was next to mine and without thinking, I pulled her chair out for her, she smiled at me and sat down. When I sat down and looked to my right, Tamsin was staring daggers at me, giving me a 'what the fuck look'. I frowned at her, diverting my attention to something else before me nerves set in. Dyson was with my father, shaking the hands of numerous important people while my mother walked around with elegance, swaying over the floor in her golden white gown while she smiled at everyone and wished them a wonderful evening.

"She outdid herself." Bo said while she leaned slightly to my side.

I nodded at her, smiling lightly, "Indeed she did."

And so the evening started, everyone took their seats and waited eagerly for the wine tasting to begin. We would be having a three-course meal all while sipping the new wine, my mother picked the menu to make the wine taste even better. When the whole hall settled down, all of the attention was on my father who was standing up front, my mother and Dyson proudly next to him. My father cleared his throat, "Ladies and Gentlemen, tonight is the night I've been waiting for. It's been a tough year and perfecting this wine has been a lifelong dream of mine, it's not easy to take a grape that's mainly used for champagne and turn it into a wine that people will take serious, and today I can finally say that I made it." He looked at my mother and at Dyson, "But, I wouldn't have made it without the support of my lovely wife, Amelia, and my son Dyson who, and I'm proud to say, will be taking over the winery in a few years." My father looked at me then, "But, ladies and gentlemen, it's been even tougher without my daughter, who has now returned from the army, and we are so happy to have her home. Lauren, my bug, come up here and help us start the evening."

All eyes were on me, and I felt my heart pound in my chest. I didn't expect that, but Bo nudged me with a smile, nodding at me to get up. I smiled gracefully and stood up from my seat, walking over to my family and accepted a glass of wine from Dyson. I looked up, and found Bo staring at me with a smile, not breaking eye contact, my heart beat picked up even more at the sight of her looking at me like that, and I smiled back at her. My father cleared his throat, "It has been a blessing to raise these two wonderful people, my son and my daughter," he raised his glass, "This wine is for you two, it's my best work ever, and you two are definitely the best two things that have ever happened to me." He looked at the crowd, "If everyone will please raise their glasses," my father smiled proudly, "To Dyson and Lauren, I present to you Doux Pinot Meunier."

"To Dyson and Lauren." Everyone said in unison and drank from their glasses. Various sounds of pleasure and delight filled the hall. Bo and I broke eye contact for the first time as both of us sipped from our glasses, immediately looking at each other again after. My father was right, this wine was worth it, because it was amazing. My mother came over to me and hugged me, tears threatening to spill when she pulled away and looked at me, "I'm so happy you're home."

"I'm glad to be back mom." I said and kissed her on her cheek.

I walked back to our table before people could corner me with questions I didn't want to answer. I was touched at the speech my father gave, I had no idea that he was going to draw the wine up to me and Dyson, it was completely unexpected and it warmed my heart. Bo smiled at me when I sat down, "That was amazing."

"It was, I didn't expect that."

"I knew you would love it." She said, beaming at me.

I frowned at her, "You knew what he was planning?"

She nodded, "Your mother told me, it was hard keeping it a secret. I think it's great, that your father made his greatest creation out to you and Dyson."

I smiled, sipping my wine again, "My father has always been a creative man." I watched as waiters came walking into the hall with food and I smiled, "I hope you're hungry."

The starters were served and we ate quickly, chatting all the way until dinner came. The food was amazing and everyone at our table got along well. Tamsin was extremely funny when she was drinking and she had one glass too many, so Dyson took her outside with much protest when I offered to do it. I was starting to think that he was looking for excuses not to be alone with Bo, and I could see that I bothered her too. It wasn't my place to say anything, but I wanted to straight up tell him that he needed to pull his shit together, why could Bo be civil about this but he couldn't? I understood completely that they didn't want to make a scene in my parents' house but they were grown-ups, they had to do something because putting themselves through this was pointless.

I was staring at people chatting and laughing when Bo's voice broke my thoughts, I looked at her, she smiled, "Did you hear what I said?"

I shook my head at her, giving her an apologetic look, she tipped her head to the side, "Will you go for a walk with me?"

I frowned slightly, wondering if I had heard her right, "A walk?"

"Yes." Bo nodded slowly while smiling lightly.

I nodded then and started getting up, walking slowly behind Bo as she sashayed elegantly out of the hall, her hips swaying perfectly under that dress. Nobody was in sight outside and I saw Bo exhale in relief, she looked at me then smiling lightly. I smiled back and fell into a comfortable pace next to her as we walked along the curved pebbled road with garden lights all around, "Where are we going?"

Bo kept her eyes to the front and spoke softly, "Somewhere with answers."

I frowned yet again, not understanding what she was getting at. But I decided to stay quiet, it looked like she was having a serious debate in her head and I didn't want to make it more difficult for her. I followed Bo silently, listening to our heels on the ground and staring at the stars above, the music of the hall fading away from us the further we walked. It took me all but five minutes to figure out where we were going because the enchanted garden came into view and Bo hinted at the garden that that was our destination.

We stopped at the entrance and Bo turned to face me, fear written all over her beautiful face. She held out her hand and I was hesitant to take it, but I did, sighing when my hand fit perfectly in hers. She pulled me closer to her and linked our fingers, making me wonder what we were actually doing here. Bo sighed while we walked through the garden, the lights making it look even more dreamy than it did during the day. The area was quiet, and I was finding myself making a memory of the way her hand felt in mine, how warm she was and how amazing she smelled.

"Yesterday was a rollercoaster of emotions."

I licked my lips, nodding slightly, "I know."

She didn't say anything after that and I realised she had used it as an icebreaker for what she wanted to say. We rounded the corner into the part of the garden where I had given her that flower and I felt my chest tighten at the sight of them, the lights seemed to illuminate their purple colour, only illuminating my stress level. Bo stopped and slightly pulled me so I could stand on the opposite side of her. Her hand leaving mine, making me long for it to return. She sighed, her hands trembling, and I watched silently as Bo bent and picked one of the flowers.

I frowned, "Bo, I'm sorry, for what I did yesterday, giving you one of these flowers. No," I shook my head at myself, "I'm not sorry for giving it to you, but I just-"

"Lauren-" Bo started but I continued.

"I know you know what the flower means and it was stupid of me to give it to you, I really just-"

"Lauren hold on I-"

"I mean I can't explain why, it's jus-"

Bo suddenly grabbed my hand again, "Lauren, shut up for a second."

I closed my mouth, blinking profusely at her sudden outburst. I couldn't deny the fact that my arm was tingling because of the feeling of her hand around mine. But as soon as it was there, it disappeared when she moved her grip to the bottom of my hand and turned it over, her hand trembling underneath mine. I was shocked and watched in silence as she moved slowly and placed the flower in my hand, sighing before looking into my eyes. Her brown eyes weren't happy like they always were, they were scared. She licked her lips, "I can't bring myself to say it because I can't, it's not the right time yet. But, this," she hinted at the flower, "Confirms that I've been thinking the exact same thing Lauren, God knows it's only been a few days but I can't fight the intense feeling I have when I'm around you. I felt it the moment you literally fell into my life."

I felt my heart drop, right to the bottom of my shoes at what she had just said, "Bo." I uttered, struggling like hell to find my words. She shook her head, "You don't have to say anything, this situation is messy enough already, I need to think about some things and make some decisions."

I looked into her eyes, feeling like I wanted to cry and laugh all in the same sense. Bo was so different it scared me. Even though she just revealed that she felt the same, she didn't allow me to further it just yet by saying anything. She was in a relationship with my brother and I could see that she respected that. And it just made me respect and like her even more. She didn't want to make a mess of things and I could see that she didn't want to cause problems between me and Dyson, it was evident last night. She was going about this the right way and it made me proud. She smiled lightly at me, "I do want to do one thing though."

I raised a brow at her, and before I could do anything, her arms stretched out and snaked around my waist. She pulled me into her with a tight grip. And my arms instinctively wrapped around her neck. My heart was beating out of control and I could feel hers as well. Bo buried her head in the crook of my neck, taking as much of this moment as possible. She smelled amazing, and she was warm, I loved the feeling of her arms around me, wishing that I could stay like this forever. The lights around us were perfect with all the flowers and the stars made this moment even more perfect and intense. I closed my eyes then, making a memory of how this felt. Bo sighed slowly, deeply and started pulling away, looking at me with longing eyes. I smiled lightly at her, seeing the sparkle return in those brown eyes that were stealing my heart, "We have to get back before someone notices we're gone."

She inhaled, nodding, "Let's go then." Bo turned slightly and held her hand out to me again, waiting patiently for me to take it.

I felt a jolt run down my spine, forcing me to move forward and link my fingers with hers again. We walked slowly out of the garden, pointing at various flowers while we avoided the words of admiration we wanted to say to one another but couldn't yet. It broke me, but holding her hand had me feeling giddy. When we came close to the hall again where people could see us, Bo gave my hand a tight squeeze and let it go, causing my heart to sigh in disappointment. We entered the hall again, and when I saw Dyson standing with people around him, laughing, I felt my courage drop. Was this what it had come down to? I was developing serious feelings for my brother's lover and I wasn't even prepared to step down. This was Bo we were talking about here, even though he had known her longer than I had, and even though he already had her, I knew tonight after she gave me the flower I had my hand, that I was going to fight for Bo, no matter what, she was worth it and because I already had a part of her too, a part I was sure Dyson didn't have, otherwise she wouldn't have given it to me under the stars in that garden.

I watched Bo talk to a few people, laughing gracefully and flashing her million dollar smile. There must have been something in that wine because it intensified what I felt. Bo Dennis was slowly captivating my heart and I was convinced that she was a pro because she did it in record time.

The last thing I saw before I grabbed another glass of wine, was Tamsin glaring at me from across the room. And I swallowed dryly, suddenly wishing that I hadn't allowed my eyes to take in the magnificent image that was Bo so openly for everyone to see. I knew exactly what Tamsin was going to talk to me about tomorrow.

I spent the rest of my evening at the country club avoiding Tamsin while I sat at our table, admiring the flower and Bo whenever she walked past our table. She was on Dyson's arm, everyone wanted to meet her and I could clearly see that she was uncomfortable with all the people who was ooh and awing over their relationship. Even Dyson was uncomfortable, and it led me to believe that they didn't feel the same about each other anymore. Did it make me a bad person that I wanted her relationship with Dyson to fail? I shook my head at myself, wondering how I had gotten myself into this mess, Dyson was going to hate me when he found out about this, even if he didn't love her anymore.

We left the country club when most of the guests had left. My mother objected when we wanted to help tidy a few things up, assuring us that she had a cleaning team ready to come first thing tomorrow morning. On our way back to the house, Bo sat in the back with me again, this time we were a little closer to one another, both our hands laying next to each other on the middle seat so we could be as close to each other as possible. I could feel the energy between our hands and it was killing me to resist the urge to reach out and cover her hand with my own. She was staring out the window the whole time, and the moonlight fell just right over her soft, beautiful face.

We made it to the house in record time, everyone seemed to be tired, but I wasn't. I felt more awake than I had in a long time. Bo gave me a longing look before she disappeared upstairs with Dyson, making me wish that I could hug her like we hugged in the garden. Tamsin was dead silent while we made our way upstairs, I knew what she was piecing together in her head because she gave me a rather cold good night and went into her room, leaving me alone with my thoughts of everything that had happened this evening. I pulled off my dress and took a shower, allowing the water to beat away some of my confused feelings. I was scared, not only of how Dyson would react but of how intense my feelings for Bo were. They developed in such a short amount of time that it seemed almost impossible for them to be there, but the reality was that they were, and ignoring them wouldn't bring me anywhere.

I fell into bed, burying my head in my pillow, groaning at the fact that I wasn't tired at all. I reached for the book on my bedside table and sat up against my headboard, opening it up and started reading. I found it hard to focus, Bo was constantly in my head, no matter what I did, she was there. This woman had managed to throw my whole world upside down the moment we met, it was exciting and scary all in the same sense. I was debating with myself on how I was going to handle Bo Dennis, she was without a doubt a strong person, but she was also extremely soft and sensitive, I caught glimpses of that side of her many times and it made me wonder what she was actually like when she didn't have to hold back because Dyson was constantly around.

Just then my phone rang out. I squinted and closed my book while glancing at my alarm, it was already around one in the morning. Had I spent two hours thinking just about Bo?

I reached for my phone and my eyes widened when I saw who it was from, I had saved her number the moment she called me to pick her up. I sighed, wondering why she wasn't sleeping but smiled at the thought that Bo just texted me. I closed my eyes and inhaled deeply and opened the text Bo sent me.

I immediately smiled when I read the few letters she took the liberty to type, my chest tightening slightly.

 _Bo: I don't think I believe in the Sandman anymore._


	6. Chapter 6

**N: Hey guys, I apologize for the delay, it's been a crazy couple of days. This is a quick one, decisions need to be made so that these two ladies can move forward. I know a lot of you don't like Dyson in this story, but these characters are good people, so I hope you'll enjoy this. The next update will have more answers and move a bit closer to what you all want to see. Your reviews make my day, I look forward to reading them every time, you guys are the best.**

 **Any and all mistakes are mine.**

* * *

I was in a flat spin, completely disoriented and scared shitless. I had no idea how things had gotten to this point, how I even allowed it to happen. But it was something out of my control. I came here with Dyson and we already had problems, our relationship wasn't perfect at all and I wasn't happy with how things were currently going. I mean he had been avoiding me for the past two days, but when Tamsin got here his cold shoulder turned into Alaska, he was refusing to even acknowledge that I was in the same room with him, his full, undivided attention was on her. I understood now that Dyson and I had fallen out of love with each other, maybe it was never love in the first place, just attraction, maybe both of us were lonely and this relationship was the next best thing to being alone on a Friday night. I shook my head, Dyson and I were never really in love with each other and I had been stupid enough to allow all of this hurt and frustration.

I just wished that I had never gone into this relationship. I didn't regret meeting Dyson, I knew I never would, I just knew that we had the wrong relationship between us, we could've been great as best friends. Then I would've moved to Canada and met Lauren all on my own. I felt a smile making its way onto my face while I thought about her. What in this world was Lauren Lewis? How had I even gotten so lucky to meet her? She was funny, fearless and passionate, everything I always searched for in people, but Lauren was nothing like the other women I had been in relationships with in my life, she was everything you could ask for in any person. She was also extremely loyal, I could see it in the way she stood up for me last night when she confronted Dyson.

I could see it in the way she respected the relationship I still had with her brother.

I shook my head, here I was, lying next to a snoring Dyson while thinking about his lovely sister. This situation was just strange to me because I didn't feel guilty for my feelings, I didn't wish them away, I just wished that he wasn't her brother. I didn't know a lot of things yet, but I knew for a fact that I wanted more of Lauren. My heart felt like it was being ripped right out of my chest tonight when all I could do was hug her and not kiss her like I craved to do in that garden where she had opened up to me. I was not a cheater. And I couldn't do that to Dyson nor place Lauren in that situation, neither one of them deserved that and I was the middleman, which meant I had to look out for both of them.

I decided that I was going to talk to Dyson tomorrow, we were acting like children. Avoiding each other and fighting all the time, it was senseless and I had had about enough of it. We were both grown-ups, we could handle the blow. I knew that I was going to accept the job offer in Canada, it would earn me my promotion, a more steady income, and I would be close to Lauren so I could get to know her better. We had been very restricted here while getting to know each other, I found myself holding back all the time because there was always someone around us that could see or hear us, but I knew that once we were away from all this drama things would be better.

The only thing I craved right now was alone time with her, even if it was for just a few minutes. I just wanted to stare into her eyes and memorize the way they made me feel because I knew I would be leaving tomorrow if my conversation with Dyson went down well. If that happened I wouldn't see Lauren until I was settled in and she was back home. I also found myself thinking about her state of mind a lot, I was worried as to how she was doing, the war must have left scars, scars she was good at hiding, but I could see right through her, something was seriously wrong. I pulled the covers off of my torso, allowing them to rest on my hips, I needed some milk. I got up slowly, careful not to wake Dyson and tiptoed to the door. When I was halfway out of the room, I saw that Lauren's light was still on. Was she awake?

I stood there. If Lauren was awake I wanted her to join me. Then my body took over and I went back into the room, walking slowly and sitting down softly on the bed. I grabbed my phone from the bedside table and scrolled down to Lauren's name, smiling at the thought of actually texting her and started the conversation.

 _I don't think I believe in the Sandman anymore._

I smiled and watched as it went through, my hands shaking slightly. I was hoping that she was awake and she would respond, otherwise, it would be very awkward if she saw it tomorrow morning, well later since it was already morning. My doubt started getting the best of me as I waited for her text, but to my surprise, I saw my screen light up and her name flashed on the front.

 _Lauren: I agree, he's extremely inefficient._

I smiled at her text, I had her attention now and it was something light and easy, so I continued to work towards my goal.

 _Do you know what we need right now?_

 _Lauren: Please do tell._

I smiled, wishing that I was in her company already.

 _The anti-insomnia remedy. Kitchen?_

I waited patiently for her answer, hoping that she would agree to join me because I wasn't in the mood to stand in the kitchen all by myself. She just made it so much more fun, plus I needed to talk to her because I didn't know if I would see her before Dyson and I talked. Then my phone beeped.

 _Lauren: You don't have to ask twice, I'll meet you downstairs._

As soon as her text reached me, I heard her door open and close down the hall, telling me that she was indeed on her way downstairs. I stood up, yet again being careful not to alert Dyson, the last thing I wanted was him being half asleep and walking into the kitchen while I was having my Lauren time. I tiptoed down the hall, growing more and more excited to see her. I thought about the feeling I got when I saw her earlier, standing by the door in her dress, looking elegant as can be while she waited for me. I smiled, walking down the short hall and then rounded the corner into the kitchen.

There she was, freshly showered and in her Star Wars pyjamas, the same pyjamas she wore the morning she practically fell into my life. Lauren was busy grabbing glasses, smiling lightly while doing so and I watched as she set them down and made her way to the fridge, pulling out the milk. I cleared my throat then, "I'll take some of that."

Lauren glanced in my direction, her eyes meeting mine and she smiled, "Coming right up."

I smiled and entered the kitchen fully, this time not moving to stand on the opposite side of her. I took my stance next to her, leaving the corner of the island between us and accepted the glass of milk she slid my way. I waited till her glass was filled as well and held mine up, "To, early morning milk dates."

She chuckled, accepting the toast and took a sip of her milk, "That's what we're calling them, milk dates?"

I shrugged, "Well do you have a better idea?"

"No no, the name is fine," she said, smiling at me, and for a second I got lost in her brown eyes. Oh how I wished that we weren't here right now, that we could be in my New York apartment that overlooked the city, I could be handing her a glass of wine on the balcony. It was my special place and I hadn't even taken Dyson there for an early morning drink.

"What are you thinking about?"

I looked up at Lauren, she was eyeing me with her curious look, I shook my head, "Nothing, I'm just tired."

Lauren squinted her eyes at me, she knew that I was lying and she was waiting for a genuine answer. I was surprised, usually, Dyson ate up my excuses, but yet here she was not accepting mine. I realized that I had really fallen into bad habits with Dyson, I couldn't be going around expecting the worst from people. But I couldn't let Lauren in on all the things I had been thinking about, I wasn't sure if I should just change the subject or if I should be honest with her. We were technically a bit more than friends at the moment, she deserved to know what was going on.

"Bo?' Lauren's voice broke my thoughts, "Where are you? Talk to me."

I inhaled deeply, staring up into her brown eyes, perhaps it would be good to get everything off of my chest, "I'm talking to Dyson later. We can't go on like this, I didn't sign up for a relationship that doesn't make me happy." I stared at her, she was listening intently, she was actually paying attention, "I don't know if I'll have time to talk to you after, so, I'm accepting the job offer in Canada."

She started smiling, trying not to make it too wide, "You're going to love it in Canada, Bo."

"I know I will, " I said, looking nowhere but at her, "How can you be real Lauren?"

Lauren frowned slightly and I continued, I wasn't talking sense, "I just mean, I meet so many people every day, and people I've known, they're not at all so loyal and amazing like you are. How in the world did I get so lucky to meet you? I mean, just knowing you and being able to speak to you is a blessing."

She started shaking her head and I knew I needed to do something to make her believe that I was serious, so I broke the touch barrier again and placed my hand on hers, loving how warm she always was, "I mean it, Lauren, I fully intend to come and find you once I'm settled in."

She turned her hand, letting her palm face mine so we could have a better grip, "I can be your tour guide."

I smiled, running my thumb over her skin, "I want to see that blown up picture in your office."

She returned the smile, "I can make that happen. Are you going to live in the city or in the suburbs?"

I shrugged, "I don't know yet, my assistant is already house hunting for me but I think I'll have to get an apartment in the city, it'll be easier for work."

Lauren nodded, picking up her glass to take a sip, and I followed. But then her expression turned serious, "I feel like a worm Bo."

I frowned, my hand tightening its grip on hers, "Why?"

I could see that she was struggling with this, so I stayed quiet and allowed her to find her words, "I can't believe I'm standing in this kitchen with you, I'm basically stabbing a knife into my brother's back."

I felt my heart drop, I didn't want her to feel that way, yes this situation was kind of messed up but all things lead up to this, we didn't force anything. And we hadn't done anything wrong, I wouldn't put her in that situation. But she was opening up to me and I needed to handle the situation correctly, "Listen to me, Dyson and I, our relationship was really never supposed to happen, I don't regret it, but still. Do you believe in destiny?"

She eyed me, tipping her head from side to side, indicating that she wasn't sure. I smiled at her and covered her hand with both of mine, "If I wasn't with your brother, I never would've met you. Trust me when I say that both Dyson and I know that we're not supposed to be together." I didn't want to tell her about what Dyson had said when he was half drunk, that was personal and I didn't know if Lauren knew anything about that.

Lauren smiled, and I took a sip of my milk again, it was time to change the subject a little. I knew exactly what I wanted to talk about, but I wasn't sure if it was a good idea, so I chose my words carefully, "Will you tell me about the war sometime?"

I saw pain flash in her eyes and her jaw clench, but she eyed me, "Yes I will, sometime."

I took that as the sign that that was not now, and I nodded. I knew that Lauren was struggling, I had heard her cry last night, I wanted with all my heart to go into her room and hold her so she could let it out, but that would be overstepping a boundary. One I knew she wasn't ready to break. I just wanted to know that she was okay, and I knew that when it came down to it, talking about it would be ugly and ten times worse for her than it would be for me, but she needed to let it out before it ate her up. I gave her hand a squeeze, "Last refill before we head upstairs?

She chuckled and let go of my hand to refill our glasses, "I'm starting to think you like milk more than I do."

"Maybe so, you'll never know." I said, giving her a wide smile.

I stared at her while she poured us some drinks. This thing I was creating with Lauren was different. So different that it scared me. I found it hard to keep my hands to myself and dear God did I want to kiss her, but it wasn't the right time yet, this was more than just sexual tension and I knew that because for the first time in my life I actually wanted to wait before I broke a serious physical boundary, I wanted to do this the right way and I had no problem waiting, because right now just being in her company was all I needed. But once again, it was killing me not to touch her. When she slid my glass to me, I caught her hand again, running my thumb over her knuckles.

She smiled at my gesture and accepted. I wanted as much of her as I could get, because I knew after my talk with Dyson I might not see her for a while. I stared at her, memorizing her face, "Are you on social media Lauren?"

She frowned, obviously wondering where my strange question had come from, "Does the rules of the game count here?"

I narrowed my eyes at her, "Fine."

She smiled, "Not directly no, but I know that there are many photos of me on the internet that has been taken at the studio in the gallery area during exhibitions. So you can't stalk me."

I placed my hand on my chest in mock surprise, "How dare you insinuate such a thing, I would never."

"Hmm-mm." she hummed, sipping her milk, "I have another question," she said carefully, "Why did you act like we hadn't already met when Dyson introduced us?"

I blinked a few times, I had been wondering when she was going to ask me that again. I pondered for a while as I tried to find my words, I wanted to explain it without sounding like a creep, but the actual truth was that I acted like that because from the moment I met Lauren, I wanted her, it was an encounter I didn't understand myself which was why I pretended like we didn't know each other. I wasn't ready to tell her that yet, so I finished off my milk and let go of her hand, "I'm tired, aren't you tired?"

Lauren watched me put our glasses in the sink and when I turned around she was staring at me with a worried expression, "Bo."

I shook my head slightly, silently asking her not to make me say it out loud, we weren't ready. She wasn't ready to hear me tell her that I had fallen for her the same night she fell over my luggage. Lucky for me, she was an intelligent, understanding person and she nodded. She turned and put the milk back in the fridge, turning back around with a soft smile that told me she understood. Lauren moved to the exit and held her hand out to me. I felt my heart jump in my chest at the sight of her in those pyjamas, standing with her hand outstretched to me. I went to her, linking our fingers and walked close to her down the hall and up the stairs. I loved the way she leaned into me while whispering into the dark. We came to a stop and I stared at her, not I the mood to leave, so I brought her hand up and placed a soft kiss on her knuckles.

"Goodnight Lauren."

"Goodnight Bo." She whispered back.

I let go of her hand and stepped back, watching as she went into her room before I disappeared into mine. I closed the door, leaning against it as I stared at Dyson sleeping peacefully. That talk was not going to be pretty. I crawled into bed, pulling the covers up to my nose in hopes that it would help me fall asleep faster.

* * *

The morning came quickly, too quick for my liking. I was ready to move on from this, but I wasn't ready to be away from Lauren when she just came into my life. I knew Dyson was going to ask me to leave after this, there was no doubt about it. But a huge part of me didn't want to alienate Dyson, he was a wonderful person and I wanted to keep him in my life. Yes, he had been a bit horrible during our relationship, but I understood why now, he was going through some things he himself was too scared to face, maybe he just needed a tender helping hand, someone to talk to because he couldn't keep all of this bottled up. He was a good man who made a mistake, a bad choice of judgement, and that was okay.

Thunder roared loudly and rattled the windows. The clouds were low and a dreary mood had fallen over the vineyard. I stood by the windows, staring out at the view as sad raindrops trickled down the glass. I was a bit stressed, Dyson would be coming upstairs any minute now. After breakfast, I had asked him to meet me upstairs and I made sure to sound serious about it so he couldn't bail. I was tired of his childish way of handling this and it needed to stop, he needed to realise that he had crossed a point where he had to step up and be a man about this. I sighed, thinking of the possible ways I could handle this, I was still trying to find the right words, but I knew that they would come when the time was right. I just had to make him understand that I wanted to help him, not hurt him.

When I heard the door open, I closed my eyes, silently preparing myself. I heard him close the door and walk deeper into the room, "Bo?"

I turned around, smiling lightly, "Do you want to take a seat?"

He frowned, eyeing me strangely, "Okay."

Dyson sat down on the edge of my side of the bed, and I sat down on his side, making sure to keep my body language calm and open, "We have to talk, and this time you're not going to storm out of the room like you did yesterday."

I saw him clench his jaw, "What do you want to talk about?"

"Dyson, you know what we have to talk about."

He looked defeated and nodded slightly, "Let's talk then."

I inhaled, nodding as well, "Okay. As I was saying yesterday, I'm accepting the job offer in Canada."

He shook his head, "Why?"

"We talked about this."

"Come on Bo, is that job really so important."

I licked my lips, "Yes, Dyson, it is, this is a once in a lifetime opportunity for me."

"But I told you," he stood up, "I can look after us both a-"

"Dyson," I cut him off, looking deep into his eyes, "Please sit down."

I wasn't allowing him to make a scene again, let alone throw that stuff about looking after us both in my face after we've only been together for a few months. He sat down, breathing heavily.

"We can't go on like this. Both of us know that this relationship isn't working. I think we went into this without really thinking about it first. The fighting, the ignoring each other, it's not right and not worth the pain when we can prevent it."

"It's not like we're completely unhappy?"

I tipped my head to the side, "Really? We haven't had a real conversation in weeks. We fight all the time. We don't connect anymore, emotionally or physically."

He started shaking his head, but I continued, "Don't tell me that makes you happy. You're frustrated with me, I can see that."

"Well of course I am, we haven't had sex in a long time."

My mouth fell open, "The fact that you don't know why really bothers me."

"What then?" He started, raising his voice, "Am I doing everything wrong? This isn't just my fault Bo."

"I didn't say that it is. You're not listening to me." I took a deep breath, "We're not good together Dyson, I think as close friends we would've been great, but as a couple, we just don't work. We have different views of what life is supposed to be like and I really don't like fighting with you all the time."

My foot was tapping the floor quite quickly, I hated this situation, "We're together, but we're also not together. Because what we are doing, is not right, we're hurting each other."

His eyes were glued to mine, taking in every word I was saying, then I saw his face drop, "I don't like fighting with you either." He frowned, "I'm sorry Bo, I know I haven't been fair."

I sighed, but it was a good sigh, I was getting through to him, "I think I know why."

He looked up at me, "You know what?"

Swallowing, I adjusted my position, "The other night, when you came home drunk, you were saying a lot of things," I eyed Dyson while speaking, "You said something that confused me, something in the line of, she knows, has for a long time and always will."

He frowned, realisation hitting him smack dab in his face, "Bo," but his words didn't make it any further, his head fell into his hands.

That was when I moved closer to him, resting a hand on his shoulder, "I know."

He looked up at me, eyes bewildered and glossed over. Dyson was actually a very emotional person, it was something I loved about him, he stared at me, "How?"

I smiled, "I saw it the way you looked at her the night I met her. Tamsin looks at you the same way."

He flinched at the mention of her name, "She doesn't."

"She does," I said quickly, "Dyson, if there's one thing I can do then it is reading people, I know a look of admiration when I see it."

He shook his head and kept on shaking it. He stood up, his hands on his hips and he started pacing the room, "Then why," he took a breath, "Why does she ignore me when I try to compliment her, or when I try to break a touch barrier?"

"Because you're in a relationship with me, well was, but that's not the point. Tamsin isn't the type that's going to put you in the position of choosing, she's genuine, I can see it. Perhaps she's just waiting for you to make a move."

Dyson stood there, eyeing me with a frown. He was taking in what I was saying, "So you're saying I should make a move?"

I smiled lightly, "I'm saying that there's clearly something between you two, and from what you've told me, you've had this thing with each other for a very long time. I think it's time for you to do what your heart wants for once."

"How can you sit there and give me advice on how to get the love of my life by my side when we've just broken up?"

I stood up, walking closer to him, "Because me and you," I motioned between us, "Were never really in love. We have a bond, but it's a friendship bond. I care about you Dyson, I want to see you happy and if Tamsin is what makes you happy, why should you waste your time?"

He inhaled deeply, "I'm scared Bo."

I smiled again, loving how emotionally, he was wide open now. The sweet, genuine guy who ran into me at work was standing in front of me right now, not the angry one he had been for months because I wasn't the one he wanted, "I know, but you don't have to be. I'm here for you, Lauren is too. If you love Tamsin, go get her, nothing is stopping you anymore."

He nodded, his eyes sparkling for the first time in a long time, "You're too good to be true Bo Dennis."

"I know." I said playfully.

That caused him to laugh and I knew my job had been done. Whenever you got Dyson to laugh you knew he would be okay. His arms opened and he pulled me into a hug then, and I sighed into the embrace, loving how I could finally breathe. But the moment he let me go, Lauren popped into my head, the image of her soft, beautiful face that had me staring at her every chance I got was stuck in mind and I was afraid that I wouldn't be able to get it out, ever.

Dyson smiled, "Thank you, Bo. You've been putting up with me for months now and there's nothing I can say to justify the way I treated you. I'm sorry."

I returned a soft smile, "You don't have to thank me, just make sure you don't let her get away again."

He nodded and walked over to his bedside table and sprayed on some cologne, "I won't, trust me." He walked to me and gave me a kiss on my forehead, a loving one and I smiled. Dyson stopped at the door, "Uhm, I'll see if I can get you a flight back to New York for tonight."

There it was, the thing I knew he was going to say. I sighed, smiling softly, "I already checked, there is a flight at four."

He nodded, smiling softly at me, "I'll drive you. The storm should clear up in a few hours."

"Thank you." I said and watched as he left the room.

I let out the breath I was holding then, falling onto the bed and closing my eyes. That was exhausting and I was jubilant that it turned out so well. It could have taken a turn for the worst. I smiled, Tamsin was the perfect person for him, they fit together so well and she was just as nice as he was. She proved it the night she met me, the way she greeted me was warm and open. My behaviour was a bit strange because moments before she entered the room Lauren and I had been standing between the two pillars by the door, the flower she gave me resting in my anxious hands. All I was thinking about in that moment was how badly I wanted to kiss her right then and there because she looked amazing. She was vulnerable and open and it was the side of her I loved the most. Tamsin had caught me off guard when she entered so quickly and Lauren practically ran to her, embracing her in a hug. I couldn't deny the fact that I felt extremely jealous in that moment, I didn't understand it, but then again I didn't understand anything in the line of how quickly I had fallen for Lauren. All I knew, was that I was going to do everything in my power to spend time with Lauren once I was in Canada.

I knew Lauren had feelings for me too, I just didn't want to cause problems between her and Dyson, that was the last thing I wanted, but it was time to take a chance, because she was worth it.

I got up from the bed and went downstairs, Lauren was nowhere to be found and neither was Dyson. So I got some lemonade and went back to the room, I had to start packing if I wanted to be done in time. I knew that he was going to ask me to go home, that was why I was prepared. But while I was packing I found myself taking my time, thinking of Lauren the whole time, I was excited to get to Canada so I could get settled in and meet Lauren and learn all about her life. This was exciting, despite the fact that Dyson didn't know a thing, but in the end, we weren't even really in love and he admitted his feelings for Tamsin.

I stayed in the room for the rest of the day, I finished packing and took a shower. I was almost ready to leave, it was almost around three and I needed to be early at the airport. Dyson came knocking at the door, opening it slowly, "Hey Bo, are you ready to go?"

I nodded, "Yes, my things are ready."

He smiled and entered the room, picking up my suitcase and my carry on bag, "I'll meet you downstairs. My parents aren't here, but I'll talk to them tonight."

I nodded once again, "Okay, thank you." I was a bit bummed that I wouldn't be able to greet his parents, but I decided that I would email Amelia to thank her for everything.

Dyson left the room with my luggage. I sighed loudly, rubbing my temples, I had to greet Lauren. I had heard Tamsin leaving her room a few minutes ago, so now was a perfect time since she was alone.

I looked around the room and spotted the flower, realising that I had left it on the dresser. I walked over and pulled it out of the water, it wasn't really lively anymore, but it was still good enough to be considered beautiful. I held it in both hands and left the room, walking slowly down the hall.

I stopped at Lauren's door, inhaling deeply and knocked on the door. I heard her saying that I could enter, and I did so slowly, closing her door behind me with a fast beating heart. She was standing at her window and her head turned when I closed the door and she smiled, "Bo?"

I smiled lightly, "I came to say goodbye."

Immediately she frowned, looking at me like I just took away her favourite toy, "Already?"


	7. Chapter 7

**N: Jingle bell, jingle bell, jingle bell rock, jingle bells swing and jingle bells ring. Snowing and blowing up bushels of fun, now the jingle hop has begun.**

 **Merry Christmas everyone! One of you asked nicely for a Christmas update so here it is. The holidays are a busy time but now I'm back and ready to continue this story. I literally wrote this in the car so I hope it's not too cringe, I really wanted to publish something today. But you can expect a better chapter with better flow after this one. Your passionate reviews blew me away when I read them this morning, thank you!**

 **Any and all mistakes are mine.**

* * *

The lovely rain that graced us had cleared up a while ago. Now the only thing that remained was a slight breeze that picked up small strands of my hair and soulfully cascaded them over my face while I soaked up the wonderful smell of dirt and rain. I stood by my window with my arms crossed over my chest, sad raindrops were trickling down the glass, coming and going like my thoughts were currently doing.

I was digesting the conversation I had with Tamsin a while ago. It was a strange one, one I never thought I would have with her and I learned things I never saw coming. She straight up asked me what was going on between me and Bo, claiming that she could cut the tension between us with a knife and that I was looking at Bo like she had only seen me look at one person in my life. It wasn't easy to explain the way I felt about that brunette to her, she kept hammering on the fact that I had only known Bo for a week and she insisted that this thing was going to backfire right in my face. But I made her understand that Bo was different, that she was mature, open-minded and level-headed, she wasn't the type of person that would start something like this if she wasn't serious about it. I had this strange trust in Bo and I didn't know how to explain that to Tamsin.

Then after a big debate on my current actions, I shifted our conversation to her and Dyson. She met me with much protest on the topic. Something I understood since Tamsin had never been the type of person to wear her heart on her sleeve. You never got her to talk about her feelings unless it was a life or death situation. But eventually, I got her to admit that there was something brewing between them and that it had been coming a very long way. I knew that something was there now, I just didn't know it had been there for so long. She didn't tell me much, but I knew Dyson would be able to drag it out of her, he was after all the one who was emotionally close to her at this moment. I just wanted my best friend to be happy, and if my brother made her feel like Bo made me feel then I wished her all the best.

I was just scared. The more Tamsin and I talked about my feelings for Bo the more I realized how all of this could make Dyson feel and how it would look when my parents found out about it. Goodness, my parents were going to have a fit when they found out about me, but the thing that actually scared me was the fact that I knew I would walk out of this door right now and tell them about me if it meant I could have Bo, that was how I felt and it was unsettling.

Three soft knocks landed on my door, but I stayed by the window and announced to whoever was there to enter. And when the door opened I saw the woman who had been occupying my mind for hours on end enter. I smiled, "Bo?"

She closed the door, looking rather dishevelled, "I came to say goodbye."

I frowned at her, my smile faded as I turned away from the window, "Already?"

She nodded slowly and moved deeper into my room, looking around with wide eyes, "Sadly yes, I knew that he would ask me to go home."

I nodded, walking away from the window so I could be closer to her, "You can't just stay one more night?"

Bo shook her head, "I don't think that would be wise, not based on everything I learned a few hours ago."

I stared into her eyes, "It's about Tamsin isn't it?"

"I figured you knew, I heard her leave your room earlier so I figured you two had that talk."

I raised my brows, "Yeah after she cross-questioned me about why I'm making googly eyes at you."

A smile pulled at the corners of Bo's lips, her cheeks reddening slightly, "You're making googly eyes at me?"

I stepped a bit closer to her, taking her hands in mine and stared at the flower in her one hand, the flower I had given her. For a moment panic struck me that she was going to give it back and disappear from my life, but her other hand squeezed mine, "Relax, I wanted to ask if you would keep this safe for me."

I smiled, relief washing over me while taking the flower and setting it down on my bed that was next to us, I grabbed her hand again and intertwined our fingers as I let our arms fall to our sides. I stepped closer again, "Please stay one more night, don't go yet."

Bo smiled softly at me, her brown eyes making my heart weep in my chest, "I want to stay, but I can't. I promise you that I'll come find you once I'm in Canada."

I nodded slowly, "You're really accepting the job offer?"

"Of course I am, it has many benefits." She squeezed my hand on her last word and it made me shiver, "Will you bring the flowers with you?"

I squinted a bit, "Yes I will."

Just then we heard a car horn from out front and both of us sighed, "I have to go," she said, looking at me with longing eyes.

It was like second nature, Bo and I moved together and hugged. My arms snaked around her waist and I pulled her into me until it felt like we were melting together. Except this time she didn't just rest her arms on my shoulders, her hands went into my hair and I closed my eyes when her scent drifted soulfully around me. Her heart was beating rapidly, I could feel it and it matched my own. She was warm and felt safe in her arms. I squeezed her, I really didn't want Bo to leave, it was too soon. I wanted her to just stay one more night, she couldn't be going already. Her grip on me softened and she started pulling back, our cheeks brushing against each other. I closed my eyes, turning my head slightly as our mouths passed each other, both Bo and I hovered for a few seconds, debating our next move. But then Bo pulled away slightly and rested her forehead against mine. I opened my eyes, and all they could do was stare at her lips.

She sighed, her hands squeezing my neck softly, "I really want to kiss you, Lauren."

Her tone sounded strangled and forced. Like she was struggling not to give up control right now and I felt the exact same way. I swallowed, "Me too. I mean not me, you, I want to kiss you too."

Bo giggled slightly, tipping her head back so she could look me in the eye, "You're adorable when you're nervous, do you know that?"

I squinted at her, but my heart was silently boasting at the fact that Bo was flinging compliments my way and I loved it, "Who said that I'm nervous?"

She raised a brow, giving me a look that asked if I was being serious, "You don't fool me, I know that I make you nervous," she winked at me, "But no, I want to kiss you, believe me, I do, but I'm not going to, not like this, we have a lot of time for that."

I couldn't help the smile that formed. She wanted it to be special, "Bo Dennis, you really are a hopeless romantic."

"You'll thank me for it one day."

Both her and I fell silent after she finished her sentence, but it wasn't awkward, we just smiled at each other and it made me excited to fully get to know her, I had a feeling I was going to learning everything about her, she was everything but boring and there was a whole side of her I didn't get to see yet. I tipped my head to the side, "What happened with Dyson?"

The car honked again and Bo groaned, "I will tell you about it when we see each other again. I hate that I have to go now."

I stared at Bo, studying her face before she had to leave and I inhaled again quickly. I didn't want her to step out of my arms. Bo moved closer to me then and kissed me on my cheek, slowly pulling away again, "You better not stay here for months Lewis."

"I won't," I said, sighing as she stepped out of my reach, "Will you protest if I call you?"

She smiled, opening my door, "I wouldn't have it any other way."

I smiled back at her, "Goodbye Bo."

"I'll see you around Lewis."

And with that, the beautiful woman I just lovingly held in my arms for the first time disappeared from my sight. I sighed, my chest tightening in the process. Bo was really leaving. I had this unavoidable feeling of fear that I was never going to see her again, but I knew I didn't have to feel that way, I would be seeing her again soon.

I inhaled deeply and sat down on my bed, picking up Bo's flower and held it in my hand like it would break if I dropped it. I smiled, thinking of how maturely Bo handled all of this. Not only did she respect me, but she respected Dyson and Tamsin as well. She refused to get romantically physical with me because it wasn't the right time yet. I didn't mind waiting to kiss a woman like her, I wanted it to be special as well. She was worth it.

I stood up and popped the flower into the glass next to mine, smiling at the sight of them sitting next to each other. If I couldn't be close to her, our flowers were the next best thing. There was this strange feeling in my chest, it started the moment she walked out of the door and I had an inkling that it was going to stick around until I saw her again. I looked around my room, spotting my travel bag resting against my desk and walked over to it, crouching slowly and grabbed it. I zipped it open and dug into one of the deep pockets, my heart heavily waiting until I found what I was looking for. Finally, my fingers made contact with the cool metal and I pulled out the dog tags.

I sat down next to my bag and crossed my legs, fingering the two tags as I stared at them with questions, questions on why things turned out like they did. I swallowed dryly, wishing that Danny was still alive so I could tell him about Bo. The other night when Bo made a joke and called me the ice queen, it struck deep because Danny was always flirting with me, knowing full well what my preference was. But he called me his ice queen since I always playfully rejected him. He was the best partner I could have asked for and I was angry at the way he had to die, but, I was proud of how brave he had been that night because he was ready to give his life to spare mine. It broke me that I was never going to be able to thank him for that. His body was shipped back to his home while I was still in recovery so I couldn't attend his funeral. But I wanted to pay a visit to his grave so I could say my final goodbyes, I was ready to move on with my life. I stared at the tags, closing my eyes as I pressed them against my forehead. I felt my eyes start burning and soon after a sad tear rolled down my cheek. I wiped it away quickly, I was sick and tired of crying, of sitting on the floor in my own misery, Danny wouldn't want me to do that. He would want me to stand up and fight like I did that night.

I opened my eyes then, quickly rubbing them and stood up. I walked back to my bed and placed the tags down on my bedside table, right next to the two flowers. They would be able to rest peacefully there. I inhaled deeply, running my hands through my hair. Bo went home now, and I had to pull myself together before I met her in Canada. She didn't sign up to get close to a wreck, I had to sort myself out.

* * *

Days passed slowly. It had been three days since Bo went home and I missed our milk dates. I missed her smile and her laugh, especially the way she was always so warm. I kept thinking about the way she made a toast about those milk dates, she was definitely something else and it was refreshing, she was like a breath of fresh air. I sorted through my room, tidying it up a bit and I threw out some stuff that my mother would be donating. It had been a short time of rejuvenating actions and I already felt better. My mother had been disappointed when they came back and Bo wasn't here, I knew she had big plans for that relaionship. But I ended up spending a whole day with her, talking about all the things I missed out during these two years, including the gossip and it made her forget about Bo and Dyson. My father was silent, as always but I managed to work in a conversation or two as well. He was happy that I was back and made me promise once more that I wouldn't go back, I did so willingly.

Tamsin had been acting strange a bit and Dyson was like a dog with a sore paw. I took it as they were still trying to work out what was going on between them and I knew that it would take time. I just didn't want this to ruin the healthy friendship they had. But to my surprise, this morning I saw them leave the house together, walking a bit closer to each other down to the barn. It was a pleasant sight and both of them had a new vibe to them when they came back. It warmed my heart to see them that way. I assumed that they figured their stuff out and that they would be happy now, it was all I wanted for them.

Bo and I had been talking a bit here and there. She was still trying to tie up some loose ends back in New York before she could leave for Canada. Her apartment was set and ready and all she needed to do was get on a plane and go after her work was finished, she was finishing up her last case and then she would be flying on Sunday night. I was beyond excited but I was still debating when I wanted to go back because it was Wednesday already.

I stared at my laptop with a glass of wine in hand, sitting at my desk like I ruled the country. I wanted to sort through some of the photos I took on the battlefield. I needed to clear them and store them on a drive I could put away. I didn't want to be reminded of it every time I used my computer. I sighed, reaching out and scrolled through some of the folders, memories running rampant in my mind of a time I would love to forget. I opened a folder, the screen throwing out many pictures taken of soldiers standing proudly with their partners. I sighed as I clicked on them, a lot of these were photos I took of soldiers who had died in the war. They were brave men and women and I had been privileged to be there with them. Afghanistan was privileged to have had them there. I just wished I could've done more.

I closed my eyes at the thought of that place, my heart bleeding for the soldiers who stayed behind to fight. England had been assisting America and Israel for three years on the front lines of Syria, desperately trying to contain the war that was slowly breaking down all of our defences. It had me wishing that I had signed up as a soldier instead of a war photographer, in that way I could've made more of a difference. I had seen terrible things in that war, from the moment I set foot in the barracks I knew that I wouldn't be going home as the same person. I went through all of the hell the soldiers did, I saw the bloodshed, the tears, the struggle, hell I was the one who had to seek it out in order to take a perfect shot.

There had been many times where I had to pick up a weapon to defend myself and those around me, and no matter what anyone said, even if I was doing it for my country, even if I was eliminating the force that was causing pain, taking the life of someone else still left a lingering feeling I could not explain, one that would never go away no matter how hard I tried to push it down. I was in the middle of all of it, I suffered many injuries and scary dreams that would haunt me even when I was awake. I was relieved when I got the news that I was coming home, I wanted to be as far away from that place as possible. The only thing I didn't care about was the awards I would be receiving in a month for the so-called bravery I showed that night. It didn't feel right to accept them because Danny was the one who deserved them.

I clicked through more photos, stopping at a photo that was taken of me. I was standing in front of a ranger with one of my cameras, looking into the distance. I sighed, closing the folder. I was not in the mood to continue because I knew the photos would get worse. I leaned back in my chair, scanning my now organised desk and took a sip of the wine I was nursing. My phone beeped then, and I picked it up, seeing Bo's name. I smiled and opened the text.

 _Bo: I miss the peacefulness of the vineyard, the city is driving me crazy already. It must have been amazing to grow up there_.

I smiled, placing one hand on my chest.

 _Growing up here was a blessing, I want a house on the open lands one day._

 _Bo: I grew up in an apartment building. I never had a large backyard to play in or the open space to call my own. It's something I wished for every night before I fell asleep. But now I'm wishing for something else x_

 _And what might that be Miss Dennis?_

 _Bo: You know what I'm wishing for x_

My smile widened, she was being honourably genuine. Before I could say anything, another text came through.

 _Bo: I'm looking forward to you being my tour guide._

 _I promise I won't disappoint._

 _Bo: I'm holding you to it Lewis._

 _Bo: I must confess something._

 _What is it?_

 _Bo: I can't stop thinking about you. That smile of yours is going to be the death of me._

I felt my cheeks redden, she was being much more open and honest than always.

 _You occupy my thoughts every minute of every day. It's your fault that I can't get any work done._

 _Bo: I plead guilty. I miss you,_ Lauren _, promise me you won't stay in England too long._

 _I won't, I promise._

 _Bo: That's all I want to know. I have to go, see you soon x_

 _See you soon Bo._

I sighed, smiling like an idiot and clutched my phone in both of my hands. Oh, how I wished to see Bo right now, to have one of our milk dates. I set my phone down, realising how talking to her made me forget about the bad times I had been thinking about. I looked at my computer again, spotting the folder with the photos I took the first day I got here and clicked on it. Smiling at the photos I took of those exotic Bee-eaters, immediately remembering how Bo had approached me so confidently and spoke like we had known each other for years. I went through more photos, I had photographed the birds, the clouds and they all came out quite nice.

Then my heart dropped to my feet...

I stared at a photo of Bo. It had been taken from a lower angle, possibly when I was crouched and I must have taken it by accident. She was laughing, looking into the distance and her hair was whipped around her face, that dimple was present. She looked absolutely gorgeous and adorable and I couldn't help but reach out and run my fingers over her face. It made me miss her even more, it made me wish that she was here or that we were in Toronto already. I stared at the picture, and the longer I stared the more a plan started forming in my head. I picked up my phone again, reading the text where she had asked me not to stay in England for too long, smiling at the kisses she added to her texts.

It was final. I closed my media folder and jumped on the internet, checking the earliest flight that would be able to take me back home. I could either fly tonight or tomorrow. If I flew tonight I would be home late tomorrow morning. I swallowed down another sip of wine, debating my choices. But then the image of Bo popped into my head again and I knew I had to fly as soon as possible. I booked a ticked quickly, knowing that I had three hours before I would need to go. I stood up, running to my travel bag and raced to pack my things. Luckily I didn't come with much so it wasn't such a hassle to get everything together. I took one of my notebooks and carefully placed the two flowers in it so they could compress nicely. I smiled as I closed the notebook and stuffed it into my bag, feeling myself grow excited. I was excited to go home, I missed Canada and if I went now and not in two weeks like I had planned, I would see Bo sooner, and maybe she would allow me to pick her up from the airport.

* * *

I finished packing and skipped into the bathroom. A quick shower was all I needed and then I could head out. The warm water rolled over my bare back, calming me in a way a glass of wine would never be able to. I was thinking about home the whole time, what it would be like to start working again, what it would be like to live a normal life again, I was ready to get back to the life I lived before the war.

I got dressed quickly and ran my hands through my hair. I wasn't going to put in much effort with it if I was going to sleep on the plane and ruin it anyway. I just wanted to get home already. It was with a heavy heart that I carried my luggage downstairs, thinking of how I was going to say goodbye. At least this time I wasn't leaving for the worst place possible. I left my bags at the front door, hearing everyone in the living room. I inhaled deeply and made my way into the old room.

My mother, father, Tamsin and Dyson were sitting and talking, laughing here and there. But when I cleared my throat they looked at me. My mother was the first to speak, "There's my bug, are you going to join us for a movie night later?"

I smiled lightly, shaking my head, "No mom, I uh, I came to say goodbye."

Everyone's smile faded, Dyson stood up, "But you were supposed to stay for another two weeks?"

"I know," I said while nodding, "But I've changed my mind, it's time for me to go home."

"Sweety, don't you think you should stay a little while longer?" My mother asked, also standing up.

"No mom, I want to go home. I need to start my life again and stay busy."

"I really think you should stay." My mother said again.

This time Tamsin stood up, giving me a look that told me she had my back. She knew both my reasons for wanting to leave, "I think it will be good if you start fresh. The studio needs you now more than ever."

I returned a thankful look, nodding, "Yes, I want to take control of my business again."

I could see my father giving me a strange look, followed by my mom's. But it wasn't their call. Eventually, my mother said her goodbyes and after I greeted everyone I made my way outside with Dyson and Tamsin short on my trail, offering to drive me. I accepted easily, letting Frank off early for once and got in the car, making myself comfortable since I knew it would be an hour drive to the airport. During the drive, I was happy to listen to the lighthearted chatting that was taking place between my brother and my best friend. They seemed much better now and it made me smile, as long as they were happy it was all that mattered.

Time literally flew by and before I knew it we were pulling up at the airport. Dyson greeted me quickly and Tamsin hugged me longer than usual. She hovered by my ear, "Have fun at the studio, and with Bo." She winked at me when she let me go and I couldn't help the heavy, but good feeling in my heart. She was supporting me in this and that was all I needed.

I waved at them as they drove off and readied myself for the long process that awaited me now before I could board.

* * *

The flight had been great. It gave me a lot of time to think and to sleep. I had slept without any hurdles this time and it was refreshing. Bo was in my mind the whole time, her smile, her laugh and her smell were printed into my brain and it would never leave even if I begged it to. The moment we landed I felt my heart open and take a deep breath of relief. I was finally home and safe after literal hell.

Jodie, my trusty assistant picked me up from the airport, constantly talking about how much everyone missed me on our way to my house. She had always been a real chatterbox and I missed it. We drove through the city and finally reached the suburbs of Toronto. I smiled at the excentric houses we passed, white picket fences greeted me with wide smiles as their pearly white colours stood out. I immediately thought of showing Bo around, she would be living in the city, but I knew she would love this part as well. When we pulled up at my house, Jodie turned to me, "I'll swing by tomorrow and fill you in on everything."

I smiled, "Don't worry Jodie, I'll come to the studio."

She nodded, "Okay great, do you need help with your luggage?"

I shook my head, "I think I got it," I got out of her car and pulled my bags from the trunk, stopping at her window, "Thank you for picking me up, I'll see you tomorrow."

"Good to have you back boss." She said with a wide smile and backed out of the driveway, her long, red hair flowing out of the window.

I waved her off with a smile, realising how much I had missed my people here. I was excited to go back to work. I turned around, staring up at my grey house that had large floor to ceiling windows. It was probably too big for one person but I was used to a big house. I glanced at the garage before I picked up my bags to head inside, I wanted to take my car out for a drive. Tamsin had taken it out a few times while I wasn't here just to keep it running. I came to a stop at the front door, digging in my bag for the keys, smiling when I felt the cool metal against my fingers. The key slipped into the lock with ease and when I opened the door I sighed in relief, dropping my bags at the door and heading straight to the large black leather couch. I flopped down with a bang, looking around the living room.

This was home, I was home. Finally. Now I only had to focus on getting my studio back on track and getting to know Bo.

I spent the rest of the day unpacking and washing my clothes. The house was actually clean, I made a mental note to thank Tamsin for keeping everything in order, I knew that I could trust her. My office was my place of sanctuary, when I sat down behind my massive oak desk I felt at ease and ready to start working again. It was the one place that would give me the nerve to sort through all the photos of Afghanistan. Danny was in my thoughts all day and I had put our dog tags in my drawer, they would be safe there and ready for when I wanted to face them. I wanted to have a photo of us printed out so I could put it on my desk, it just felt right.

I enjoyed a cold shower, it was rather hot here for spring and I knew summer was going to be the death of us all. I dressed casually, a white button down with my favourite boots. I wanted to go and grab some food so could eat and sleep. I needed to be fresh because tomorrow was a big day, work and shopping for groceries.

I sat at a small table at my favourite sushi place, waiting for my order number to be called. I looked around, wondering what it would be like if Bo was here with me right now. The bright lights would illuminate the soft, warm colour of her skin and her smile would shine. I was happy that I had come home earlier, I was excited to see Bo and spend time with her where we didn't have to hold back. I pulled out my phone, feeling the urge to be in her company.

 _Is the corporate world being fair? How is your case coming along?_

I set my phone down when my order was called and collected my food, my stomach contracting in excitement. I just wanted to lie down and rest. Luckily it wasn't a long drive to get home and soon enough I was sitting on the couch again with my food in hand and one of the Star Wars movies playing to keep me company. I was halfway through my food when my phone buzzed.

 _Bo: Done and dusted Lewis, aced this one. My boss is happy and the ship is at sail for my flight on Sunday._

I smiled and set my food down.

 _I'll be sure to ask for you when I find myself in a bit of a bind._

 _Bo: You better. Isn't your mother angry at me?_

 _No, why would she be angry? She understands._

 _Bo: I wouldn't want her to despise me when I see her again._

When she sees her again? I frowned, staring at her text. Then it dawned on me, I knew what she meant. I smiled, thinking about the possibility.

 _She is crazy about you Bo. Next time you see her she'll carry on like nothing happened._

 _Bo: Let's hope so._

 _Bo: What are you doing on this fine evening?_

 _Nothing much, a movie and ice cream._

 _Bo: Sounds way better than my evening. I have to finish packing. Most of my things belong to my parents anyway so it's going right back to them, but packing clothes is a difficult task, I should get one of those whatchamacallits that suck the clothes tight to spare room._

I giggled, realising that texting Bo was quickly becoming one of my favourite things.

 _Yes. They're very helpful. At least you don't have to pack everything by yourself._

 _Bo: Exactly, my parents are being very supportive. I don't know what I would do without them. You should give me names of some nice restaurants so I can entertain myself at night until you arrive._

I smiled devilishly, she had no idea I was already here and I loved it.

 _I'll be sure to do that._

Bo and I spent the rest of the night chatting back and forth about the case she had just won. Apparently, she was one of the best lawyers in her firm and I believed it, Bo had an extremely strong personality and she was determined. I would pity the poor soul who dared to take her on in a courtroom. Bo was fishing the whole time about when I would be coming back but I talked around the subject. I wanted to surprise her when she got here.

After an hour or so, I finished my dinner and my chat with Bo. My bed felt soft and warm when I crawled inside and I fell asleep right away, with a smile on my face might I add because the image of the lovely Bo Dennis in her work attire danced around in my head.

I couldn't wait to see her.


	8. Chapter 8

**N: I just want to thank everyone who has favoured me and this story, you make it worth the while to keep going and I really appreciate it. I never thought that so many people would be reading this story, all of you have just blown me away. Your reviews also inspire me and motivate me, so please keep them coming, I love reading them. Next up, some face to face BoLo time.**

 **Any and all mistakes are mine.**

* * *

I squinted softly, a bright light waking me up with soft strikes to my cool skin. I turned, running my hand over the cool sheets on the empty side of the bed. I didn't want to wake up yet, but I had to, it was time to face the world. I opened my eyes slowly, feeling groggy and still exhausted from my flight. Five hours of sleep was definitely not enough to chase away my jet lag. I stared absentmindedly at the Tuscan sun coloured rays as they gently rested on the white sheets, kindly asking me to get up and I closed my eyes again, debating if I really wanted to pay the studio a visit today, one more day couldn't hurt right? But no, I wanted to, I needed to get back in the game if I wanted to start over fresh.

With much effort, I pulled my tired body out of bed, stumbling my way into the bathroom to take a shower. It would wake me up enough to get me in the mood for this day. After a refreshing shower, I got dressed. I laid out my outfit last night, my short sleeved moss green button down with my favourite brown boots. It was an outfit that made me feel comfortable and confident. I wanted to walk back into the studio and radiate that I was ready to get back on track.

I left the house with a flask of coffee, smiling when my black Audi greeted me with a shine as the sunlight danced off of its smooth surface. It roared to life with a powerful presence and I pulled out of the driveway, slowly driving through the suburbs. The studio was right at the entrance to the city from where I lived, therefore it was comfortably accessible and it made for a peaceful drive to work in the mornings since traffic was not a problem for me. I stared at the houses as I passed by them. People were sitting on their porches, drinking their morning coffee while reading the paper. I was more than happy with the area I lived in, it was safe, quiet and kind. My thoughts about my surroundings continued until I found myself pulling up into the parking lot of the studio. I parked in the spot that had my name on it.

I got out of my car, staring at the big black letters as they welcomed me back. My studio was called the Lewis Photographic Gallery. The place originally was a gallery but I called it the studio since the half of it was a photo studio and that was the part of the building I enjoyed the most. I inhaled deeply, silently asking my heart to calm down. It wasn't beating rapidly out of nervousness anymore, it was now beating rapidly out of excitement. I made my way to the entrance, slowly pushing the hickory brown coloured wooden doors open so I could make my entrance, and the moment I did, I heard multiple gasps. The doors closed behind me with a rather loud thud and I smiled at my staff as they stared dumbfounded at me.

Jodie came around the corner then, her red hair was up in a bun and she was wearing heels that always echoed loudly throughout the spacious room. She smiled when she saw me and handed off the files she was holding to a young man who disappeared with them again. She walked slowly to me, her eyes sparkling, "Glad to have you back boss."

I smiled discretely at her, "I'm happy to be back Jodie."

I looked around the waiting area. The studio had been built in such a way that you entered into a waiting room with the gallery and the studio located at opposite sides of each other where they could be entered at the back of the room. I leaned into Jodie, "Walk with me to my office, I need the details."

She nodded and fell into stride next to me. I smiled at people as I took a right into the studio, heading to my office, "Tamsin and I ran a rather tight ship while you were gone. Our numbers are looking good and the studio is our top source of income at the moment." She entered my office with me and I took a seat at my desk, Jodie took her place on one of the chairs opposite me, "The gallery needs some attention, we held exhibitions as much as we could but we can't put up photographs you've taken that people have already seen, so we need some new ones from you as soon as possible. If we regain the steady income from the gallery again we'll do even better."

I nodded, noting that everything was still in order and that nothing was out of the ordinary, Jodie cleared her throat, "I have gotten numerous calls from the Impala Magazine, they desperately want to know when you'll be back, seems they crave your photos. Just give me the word and I'll get back to them." She lifted a file off of my desk, "I placed these here for you this morning, they're our financial records but these," she said and lifted up a grey folder, "Are the names of big companies who want to invest in using us to do all their photography work for them. Now they're quite a lot and they're a big deal so you came back at the right time boss."

I held my hand out and Jodie handed me the folder. I opened it with curiosity and my eyes widened when I paged through the notes. Some pretty famous restaurants, clothing stores and hotels wanted to use us. I felt proud when I set the file down on my desk, Tamsin and Jodie had really done a great job if these people wanted to invest here. I smiled, "Thank you, Jodie, for taking care of everything while I was gone."

She nodded and stood up, "It's my job, I'm just happy you're back, I need a vacation," she winked at me, "We have some big projects that we are currently working on that I think you would fancy. Their details are in that red folder."

I nodded once again, "Thank you, I'll look at them. Can you set up a meeting for me with Impala for tomorrow?"

"Done and dusted," she said and started to make her way out of my office. She waited by the door, smiling at me with hopeful eyes, "Is it safe to tell everyone that you're officially back?"

I smiled back at her, "Yes."

She winked at me and left my office, closing the door behind her. The moment she was gone I rested my forehead on my desk, thanking the Lord above that my business was holding up nicely. I had been preparing myself for the worst but everything was in order and I was elated about it. I lifted my head and looked behind me. There was the blown-up photograph of my family home, it was still as beautiful as ever and it made me think of Bo. She had expressed her excitement to see this photograph many times, little did she know that she would get to see it and me, sooner than she thought she would. I leaned back in my chair, picked up my coffee and sipped, I was still a bit tired and I needed to get something to eat since I didn't bother with breakfast. It was around eleven already and I was starving, plus I needed to do some grocery shopping as well.

I stood up and left my office, deciding that I could take a look at the folders later today at home or early tomorrow morning. I waved at people who were busy setting up for a photo shoot, my heart fluttering in my chest, I was excited to get back to work and pick up professional photography again. I rounded the corner back into the waiting room and entered Jodie's private office. I closed her door behind me. She was sitting at her desk, typing away on her computer, "Jodie I'm going for breakfast and some shopping. Call me if you need me."

"Sure thing boss." She said with a smile and went back to work.

I shook my head at her tendency to call me boss instead of Lauren, she had been doing that since the first day I hired her and I knew she would never stop. I left the studio, smiling once again as the late Friday morning sun greeted me with excitement, heating up my already warm skin. I was thankful that I had worn a short-sleeved shirt, otherwise, my arms would be tortured in a sauna-like condition under the fabric of long sleeves. I hopped into my car and entered the city, stopping at one of my favourite restaurants for breakfast. I was happy to be back in Toronto, this was my home, this was where I always felt safe and wanted.

I spent the next few hours of my day shopping for groceries so I wouldn't starve to death in my own home. I found it a bit difficult to get through the crowded places. When I was in England I didn't go out, I wanted the quietness of the Vineyard, now it was a bit of a challenge since certain noises made me flinch, especially loud ones that sounded familiar to things I had heard during the war. It also didn't help that they were busy building right across the streets. Loud thuds had me flinching here and there. It made me wish that Bo was here already, I didn't really want to be alone right now. But luckily I finished quickly and I was on my way home.

The house was painfully quiet when I entered, it resulted in me putting on some music to keep me company. But I was still tired and I really wanted to take a nap, I had eaten too much and it was adding to my tired state. I sent Jodie a text to let her know that I wouldn't be going in again today, there was nothing serious that needed my attention, therefore, I could handle everything tomorrow. I poured myself a glass of wine, carrying it with me to my office where I sat down slowly. I grabbed the remote and turned on the TV, switching through the channels for something interesting. I landed on CNN, seeing brief updates on the war, images flashing horrid scenes and I immediately changed the channel, closing my eyes quickly as I dropped the remote. I pinched my nose, was the war going to follow me everywhere? I raised my glass, swallowing two mouthfuls of wine. Liquid courage as they called it, was what I needed right now.

I reached into the drawer and pulled out the dog tags, studying them with precision like they would disappear if I set them down. I ran my thumb over Danny's full name, silently telling my deceased friend to rest in peace and that I would visit him soon. I just had to gather the courage first. I leaned back in my chair, setting the dog tags safely down on the desk. I stared at them as I twirled my wine around in the glass, debating what I was going to do with them. I drifted off to thoughts of the fun times I actually had with Danny, he made me laugh... always... he always had some other joke up his sleeve and I never knew where he got it from.

My phone buzzed, shifting slightly on the wooden desk and my eyes darted from the ceiling to the small box of developed technology. I picked up my phone, already knowing who it was.

 _Bo: I'm in dire need of a milk date and an organised space._

 _I do believe milk dates should become mandatory. How is the packing coming along?_

 _Bo: I'm almost done, we're moving the furniture out tomorrow. Apparently, my friends are hosting a going away party for me on Sunday, I'm not supposed to know but..._

 _Nobody can get anything past you, the best lawyer this world has ever seen._

 _Bo: Don't make me blush Lewis x_

I smiled, getting up from my chair and moving to the leather couch that stood in front of the TV, flopping down like the lazy couch potato I turned into sometimes.

 _What kind of movie should I watch? Wait, I'll watch the romance kind. Which one?_

 _Bo: One day you're going to stop making fun of me for liking them. Try the movie "Imagine me and you."_

 _Got it, thank you. And we'll see about that._

 _Bo: Bring it on Lewis, I love winning._

I laughed at her competitiveness, setting my phone down and tracked down that movie. I needed to relax and I needed something to help me fall asleep. I figured a romance movie would be perfect for that.

But I made a terrible mistake by thinking that Bo was wrong. I ended up taking the whole bottle of wine and snacks into my study just so I could stay awake to finish the movie. When I asked Bo for a romantic movie I thought she would be recommending the typical boy meets girl movie, those types you knew the end of before it even reached five minutes. But to my surprise, this was a love story between two fantastic women, both with strong personalities and ambition. I couldn't allow myself to fall asleep, I had to finish it. It made me think of the journey I would be going on with Bo. When the movie ended I turned everything off and cleared the study, heading straight to bed. Luckily it wasn't too late so I would still be able to get enough sleep.

I laid in bed, smiling with my phone in my hands while I read through all of the texts Bo and I had shared. It made me realise once again how adorable she actually was, her unique way of talking about things made me excited to hear her voice again. I sent her one last text before I went to sleep.

 _I stand corrected prosecutor Dennis, you may resume your argument._

* * *

Saturday kicked off with a bang, I felt refreshed and ready for the challenges work would throw my way. There had been an early morning photo shoot that I joined in on. I learned a bit more about the newest photographer who handled the shoot, she was a bright young girl who was very eccentric and outspoken. She spoke more in street terms than anything else, calling the staff 'peeps' or 'dude'. I was more amused than anything by her, but I was also impressed with her. She brought a new vibe to the studio and I needed more people like her to work here.

After the shoot I walked back into my office, feeling pumped and excited. I sat down and opened the file Jodie had given me on the big companies that wanted to use the studio. They all looked impressive and I was going to have to take a look at our schedules to see if it would be possible to accommodate all of them. It wouldn't be smart to turn down long-term business. Maybe I could set them all up with photographers here at the studio, then I wouldn't have to be present all the time.

There was a soft knock on my door and I called out to the person to enter. Jodie made her entrance and I looked up at her, "What's up Jodie?"

"There's someone here to see you."

I frowned slightly, "Who is it?"

"The photographer you worked with this morning, Kenzi."

I nodded, "Right. Send her in."

Jodie nodded and turned around, stopping by the door to talk to someone and then left. I set the file down and crossed my arms on my desk, seconds later the petite dark-haired girl entered my office. She flopped down in a chair and crossed her legs, "Wow Boss lady, this office is for real."

I smiled at her, "What can I help you with, Kenzi?"

She raised her perfectly plucked brows, "I want to know if I can get a more permanent job here, these peeps are cool and you seem to be an honest woman."

I was amused at her strange way of talking, but I didn't let it show, "We can talk about it, Jodie said that you've been doing some great work for us here and we really need that. You bring something extra to the table."

Kenzi nodded, cracking her knuckles, "I try my best, gotta be a little extra in this field."

I smiled and looked at the file, thinking of what I could do. Then it hit me, "Okay, how about I give you a big project, when it's done I'll review it and decide whether or not to consider a higher payment."

"Higher payment?" She frowned.

I nodded with purpose, "Yes, consider yourself an official photographer here." I held out my hand to her, "Welcome to the team."

She smiled from ear to ear and shook my hand quickly, with a death grip I might add, she was much stronger than she looked, "Thanks, Boss."

"Please, call me Lauren." I requested, "Jodie will fill you in on everything tomorrow, I just need to decide which project I'm going to give you."

"Take your time Boss." She said while getting up, "See ya."

And with that she left my office, throwing up some sort of sign I didn't know the meaning of. I chuckled to myself, I was going to have a lot of fun working with her. I picked up the file and left my office in search of Jodie. She was in the waiting room, talking to a client. I walked respectfully up to her, kindly smiling at the client, "Jodie when you're done please meet me in the gallery."

She nodded at me and continued her conversation. I sauntered into the gallery, smiling softly when I looked at the different pictures I had taken that were beautifully presented on the white walls. Each one of the photos I had deemed fit to be presented had names I had given them to make them extra special. It gave depth to the picture itself and people loved it. But these were a bit old now and I needed to choose new ones so I could get the gallery back on track. I made my way around the slight turn of the wall and into the main gallery area where I had a few sculptures on display as well. I smiled at the surroundings, Bo would love this place, perhaps I would think of making the next exhibition only about my nature photography, it would be a great treat for her and I knew that she would be the one person who would really appreciate it.

"Lauren?" I heard Jodie call out.

"Over here." I signalled as I kept my gaze on the sculpture of two hands joining each other in unity.

She came around the corner and joined me, "What's up?"

I turned to face her, waving the folder slightly, "I need to see how busy the schedule currently is. I want to see if we can accommodate all of these companies, it would be foolish not to try and do business with them." I stepped to the side, walking to another sculpture, "I gave Kenzi a permanent job here and told her that I would be allowing her to handle one of these projects, she's smart and creative, we need her."

Jodie nodded, scribbling on her notepad, "Got it, just let me know which project you would like her to take on." She held up her pen, pressing it against her cheek, "Oh and your appointment with Impala is scheduled for 2."

I looked at my watch, I still had an hour before then, "That's great, thank you. I'm going to stop my work with them for a while so I can focus here. The first big project, a new exhibition so we can get the gallery back as a must-see."

She smiled, "People are going to love it and it's perfect timing because we need to start shipping these to the people that bought them." She stepped forward then, placing her hand on my forearm, "I'm happy that you're back Lauren, we missed you."

I returned a soft smile, "Let's get to work then shall we."

We walked back to Jodie's office where we took a look at the schedule. It didn't look that busy for the next few weeks which gave me the go-ahead to accept at least two of the projects so far. I closed the book and eyed Jodie, "Make sure Kenzi comes to see me tomorrow, also leave her CV on my desk so I can take a look at it tomorrow morning."

I left her office and grabbed my things, heading to Impala magazine so I could let them know I wouldn't be taking on projects for them anytime soon. I still wondered how they knew I was back, but this was Toronto, everyone knew everything about anyone. The drive there wasn't too bad and I ended up having a lovely meeting with the journalist I always worked with as well as the head editor. I had a hard time convincing them to let me go until I was back on feet again, they were pretty desperate to have me back. But luckily they understood and let me go without any complications. Things were going well for me so far and it made me feel at ease. This was all I wanted, to come back to work and not have any complications. When I was done at Impala, I stopped at a sandwich place to get some lunch, a simple chicken mayo was my favourite.

Back at work I thoroughly went over the companies and what each wanted from us and finally decided on a project I would be giving Kenzi, it was perfect for her. I asked Jodie to contact the company and set up a meeting for Monday, I wanted to get started right away. I was impressed, Tamsin and Jodie really had been running a tight ship here and our numbers did look good. So good that I didn't even spend five minutes looking at our financial statements, plus they would be looking even better with the changes I had in mind.

I picked up my phone, scrolling to Tamsin's name.

 _Remind me to take you out to dinner, the studio is doing exceptionally well. I knew I placed it in safe hands when I left. Thank you, Tams._

In all actuality, she deserved more than just dinner, and she would get it, Jodie too. Both of them were my right hand and have always been. I just had to wait till Tamsin got back to Canada so I could take them both out. I looked at my texts, seeing that Bo had sent me a few throughout the day. I had been so busy that I didn't even notice.

 _Bo: I told you. It's a great movie._

 _Bo: I finally got all of these clothes in my bag, now I'm all set for the big move._

 _Bo: Have you given any thought to when you might be coming back?_

I smiled at my phone. Bo was definitely fishing out big time, I was curious as to how she was going to react when she found out that I was in Canada already. I was hoping it would be a good one, I didn't want to scare her off by being too intense. I just couldn't help myself, I wanted to be in her company. But here she was thinking she would be waiting for me but in all actuality, I was waiting on her and it was torture. I was still trying to figure out how I had gotten this caught up in everything that was Bo Dennis, so quickly, I had no explanation for it, but I was going to take it day by day because she was someone I knew I didn't want to lose.

 _Yes, I have thought about it, I probably won't be staying in England too long, my mother is driving me insane._

I sent off the little white lie and grabbed my things. It was already around five and time to go home. I was starving again and probably had to make some food myself, I couldn't keep relying on takeout, it wasn't healthy.

* * *

I stood in front of the opened fridge, debating what I should make for dinner. In all actuality, I wasn't in the mood to cook, cooking for one wasn't very pleasant. So I ended up making a quick salad and retreated back to the study where I watched the same movie I did last night. At the moment it was the only thing I had closest to Bo except for her flower, but I wanted to leave that in the notebook next to mine so they could compress nicely. I did, however, spend time looking at new photographs I wanted to display for the next exhibition, beautiful ones I had kept in a separate folder to hide them from the world, I wanted to do this nature exhibition for Bo, she would love it and I had one photo in my possession that she would absolutely adore, I would make it the main focus of the whole exhibition just because it was special.

My phone buzzed while I sat at my desk behind my laptop, and I scrambled to check my texts.

 _Bo: Does it make me a bad person to be happy that she's driving you insane? Because in my books that means I'll get to see you sooner x_

I couldn't help but smile from ear to ear, this woman had a way to make me adore her even over the phone.

 _It doesn't make you a bad person. I really can't wait to see you, Bo._

 _Bo: I'm glad you can't see the redness of my cheeks right now._

 _Well I'm not, you're quite adorable when you blush._

 _Bo: Lewis, you're killing me here._

 _Bo: But I have serious competition because I'm pretty sure you're the adorable one, your 'shy smile' gets me every time._

I threw my head back, laughing slightly. I loved the bond I was building with Bo. It was truly refreshing.

 _Negative, that's not correct._

 _Bo: Are you seriously taking on a lawyer about facts?_

 _Will there be a punishment prosecutor Dennis?_

 _Bo: Feeling brave are we? Yes, there will be, I'm just not sure if you'll be able to handle it. It can get a bit... heated._

 _I have stamina, Dennis. A soldier has to keep going even when things get... heated._

 _Bo: Well, in that case, I won't hold back, bring it on. I just have to warn you, it may lead to shivering consequences._

I swallowed, wondering if I was reading her text right... if I was, we were falling into a bit of heavy flirting here. I put my phone down when a rather impure thought of Bo and I jumped into my head. It had goosebumps rising on the back of my neck and I blinked profusely, sipping on my glass of wine. This was a whole other side to Bo that I was starting to enjoy.

 _I'm up for a challenge. Bring it on._

I spent the rest of my night talking to Bo, our conversation drifted from flirty to everything she had been up to this week. I could picture her telling me everything in person, she always talked with her hands when she got excited, and I got that image with her texts.

I just wanted the hours to fly by now... she needed to be here already because all I knew was that I was craving my daily dose of Dennis.

And I was afraid that I had already fallen for her.


	9. Chapter 9

**N: Hello all you wonderful souls. Guess what? It's the last day of 2017, where in the world did this year go? It feels like I blinked and poof, last day. Anyway, I hope that you will make the best of it and start the new year with excitement and determination. Here we are, the story is moving along nicely and I'm really starting to enjoy it now. Thank you for those amazing reviews, it warms my heart to see so many people that are still passionate about these two amazing women.**

 **Any and all mistakes are mine.**

* * *

 _Bo: Lewis, today is the day. I'm spending the whole day with my friends and then the small party before I leave. After that, I'm on the plane and on my way. Still hoping that you'll come soon x_

I smiled, closed my car door and shoved my phone into my bag. Bo was more than excited about coming to Canada, and I felt the same way because I would be seeing her tonight. The fact that she didn't know I was here already gave me a sense of satisfaction I couldn't even put into words, I couldn't wait to see her face. Her excited smile was one of the most adorable things I had ever seen, oh and when that dimple made itself known I was putty in her hands.

The late morning sun danced off of my skin as I skipped up to the studio. It was a beautiful day full of hope and happiness. I took a moment to think about this feeling I had as I walked to my office, it was a feeling I hadn't had in a long time. And if I was being honest, it had never been this earth-shattering before. Bo really shook my world and she was letting it fall into perfect pieces of innocent and well-deserved fulfilment.

I set my things down on my desk, scanning my office until my eyes fell on the photo Bo wanted to see so badly. I would need to get a move on with this exhibition if I wanted to surprise her with it because I wasn't sure if I would be able to keep her away for very long, she was a strong-willed woman and if she wanted something, she would stop at nothing to get it, that was something I was one hundred present sure of. Luckily I had put together a folder of the photos I wanted to use for this one, last night. I only had to discuss it with Jodie then I could get this show on the road.

I picked up my computer, powering up the well-developed technology while I sauntered to Jodie's office. I had to ask her to do me a favour, a favour involving the brunette I was making googly eyes at. I knocked quickly and entered her office, finding her sitting behind her desk, typing away on her own computer.

She looked up at me, "Good morning Boss."

I smiled, noticing the way the juniper green coloured top she was wearing made her features seem softer. I strolled over to her side and set my computer down, entering the folder that held the chosen photos and proudly placed my hands on my hips, "I planned out a new exhibition last night."

Jodie eyed me, raising a brow in amusement and leaned over to take a look at what I was presenting on the screen. After a moment, she looked back up at me, "A nature exhibit?"

I nodded eagerly, bending down to click on one of them. I skipped through a few to give her the vibe I was trying to create with these images, "I think it's the perfect exhibit to start with since I'm back."

"I agree," she said and picked up her coffee, taking a rather large sip.

I smiled, picking up my laptop and set it down on my lap when I sat down in one of the chairs at the front of her desk, "I want to notify the printers as soon as possible. This needs to get done because a special guest will be here to attend. I already to typed out an email I just need you to go over it and add the necessities."

She nodded, "Sure thing, just send it to me and I'll send it off today. Canvas print again?"

"Yes," I confirmed, "I gave specific instructions for one photo though, just make sure they confirm it."

Jodie scribbled my requests on her notepad, "Done and dusted."

"Good, then I have a favour to ask you."

She raised her brows at me, smiling softly, "It's not a favour when it's my job."

I glared at her, playfully shaking my head, "I need you to find out the flight number of someone. I need to know what time they'll be landing exactly."

Jodie frowned slightly at this unusual task, but I continued and grabbed her notepad along with a pen, "Her name is Ysabeau Dennis. She is flying in from New York," I slid the notepad back to her, "When you have the information, I need one more thing. There are three cab companies do pickups from airports. I want you to find out which one she is using and cancel it."

She studied the unique name I scribbled down, nodding slowly, "I can do that. Should I bring the info to your office later?"

"Yes please," I said, getting up and headed to the door.

"Hold up," Jodie hollered, "Kenzi's CV is on your desk along with those of the other new photographers. She'll be coming to see you right before lunch. Oh and, the meeting with Smash has been confirmed for tomorrow at lunchtime."

I nodded, "Thank you, Jodie."

My heart was beating rapidly while I marched to my office. This was really happening. I was really going to surprise Bo tonight. When I closed the door to my office, I leaned against it and an uncontrollable smile pulled at the corners of my lips. If just at the thought of her I couldn't contain a smile, what was going to happen when I was finally face to face with her? God, I hoped that I wasn't going to make a complete fool of myself. I took off towards my bag that was resting on my chair and pulled out my phone. I typed with trembling hands.

 _You have an exciting day ahead. Have fun and let me know when you've landed._

I set my phone down with a smile, I was growing more and more excited for tonight with each passing second. Now the seconds of this day just had to pass by like the wind was blowing them right out of the window.

* * *

Three loud knocks landed on my door. Seconds after, before I could even give an enter instruction, the door flew open and in walked Kenzi, in full-blown black with two blue and pink stripes on either side of her hair, "What's cracking Boss?"

She asked, closed the door and made herself comfortable on a chair. I smiled at her, wondering if her hair had been that way yesterday, "Good morning Kenzi."

She nodded, licking her thumb and index finger. When it came back out of her mouth it was a deep red colour, the colour you would get after you just finished a bag of tomato chips, "Do you think you'll be getting a vending machine anytime soon? Bringing your own lunch is a bit of a drag."

I raised my brows, hiding the amused smile that was threatening to spill, "I will surely look into that." I opened her file, "Okay so, I took a look at your CV and I must say, I'm very impressed. You graduated photography with flying colours and you've been involved in many creative shoots, especially those that are rich in street culture. You also come highly recommended, I see you've worked with some pretty well-known companies."

Kenzi nodded, "Gotta stay close to who you are."

I smiled, "And I want you to do just that here at my studio, permanently."

Her eyes widened, "Are you serious?"

My smile broadened and I reached over the desk, holding my hand out to her, "Welcome to the team Miss Malikov."

By this point her eyes were sparkling, she looked like she had just won the lottery and shook my hand eagerly, "Thank you, so much."

I nodded sincerely, she was at a loss for words and it told me that she was truly grateful, "Okay let's get down to business." I picked up the file I had created today for her project, "Smash, the clothing store wants to use us for their shoots, but they've asked for a test run first to see if they like our work. So I think it's perfect, it gives us the opportunity to add a huge company to our books and for me to get familiar with your style. I think you're perfect for this shoot, their clothing is close to the style you have so you understand the importance of it and I know you have the creativity to pull this off."

I handed her the file, giving her a chance to look it through. I continued, "We have a meeting with them tomorrow at lunchtime so we can go over everything and so you can know what they want. I'm going to leave you be with this project, but if you have any questions just ask me or Jodie, our doors are always open."

Kenzi smiled while paging through the file, "Sounds good."

"Great," I said, "Do you have any current questions?"

She shook her head, "Other than the vending machine, not really."

I nodded, getting up. She mimicked my actions and followed me to the door. I smiled at her, "I'll see you tomorrow."

She stepped outside, "Have a good one Boss."

And with that, she was out of sight, leaving me alone with my thoughts that were filled with the image of a certain brunette. I just wanted this day to get on with its hours already, I could be having so much more fun with Bo right now.

I spent my lunchtime glossing over the rest of the CV's Jodie had left on my desk. Everyone had a lot of potential and I was excited to see the way they all would contribute to the studio. But something did catch my eye, none of them seemed to have the spark that Kenzi had. For some reason, I was looking forward to working with Kenzi more than any of the other photographers. There was just something about her that stood out and I couldn't quite put my finger on it. After lunch I spent some time in the gallery, studying the area and the vibe each place held. I started mapping out where I would be putting which photo, this had to be perfect otherwise it would backfire.

I was staring at the place on the wall where I wanted to put that special photo for Bo when the soft clicking sound of Jodie's heels cut off my thoughts. She came to stand next to me and handed me a piece of paper, "Here you go. Her flight lands at seven thirty and she'll be coming from exit nine. I also cancelled the cab."

I turned to her while staring at the piece of paper that held the map to the beautiful brunette, "Thank you, Jodie, I appreciate it."

"No problem Boss. Just make sure you treat her right."

My eyes froze in my head, "Excuse me?'

A slight giggle came from my assistant, "She's the special guest that the next exhibit is for right? Otherwise, why would I be stalking her."

I narrowed my eyes at her, "It's not stalking when it's for a good cause."

"Yep, that's what they all say. Remember what I said." She warned before leaving me alone again.

I eyed her while she walked away, clutching the small piece of paper in my hands. When she was gone I checked my watch, I still had a few hours left before I would need to depart. My phone buzzed in my pocket, and when I pulled it out I smiled at the name.

 _Bo: According to my friends, I should consider staying in New York. Do you agree with them?_

I smiled at her text, she was obviously trying to get a reaction out of me.

 _Objection, prosecutor Dennis. I do believe that you should go to Canada, many opportunities lie forth._

 _Bo: Oh yeah, what kind of opportunities?_

 _The kind you don't want to miss._

 _Bo: Come on Lauren, enlighten me._

I sighed, what was she getting at here? She was being a lot more 'adventurous' after the texts we shared last night and it was extremely alluring.

 _Remember those 'shivering consequences' you were telling me about last night?_

 _Bo: Go on..._

I laughed, feeling a wonderful sensation of heat travelling up my neck. But it was not the time for this, as much as I would've loved to continue this conversation, it was her last day in New York and I wanted her to focus on her friends and family, not me.

 _You know what I'm talking about. Stop texting me and have fun with your friends._

 _Bo: You're no fun, we'll have to work on that x_

I shoved my phone back into my pocket, shaking my head in an amused way and left the gallery. I had to finish some work before I left later today.

* * *

I stared at myself in the mirror, my bedroom was strewn with clothes, my closet empty with all the styled fabric I owned lying on the floor. I sighed, turning side to side, trying to decide if my dark blue button down was a good choice. I couldn't believe that I was so nervous that I couldn't even dress. I inhaled deeply while smoothing out my shirt, silently telling myself that I needed to calm down. Knowing Bo, she would smell my fear and call me out on it just so she could get me to relax. But it was Bo I was talking about here, I would be okay. I glanced at the bouquet of flowers eagerly resting on my bed, waiting to be handed off into the arms of that headstrong brunette. I didn't know if getting her flowers was a bit cliché, but I didn't want to stand there empty-handed. Plus, Bo loved flowers, so I knew she wouldn't mind it.

I left the house smelling good and feeling ready. I weaved through traffic and drove with purpose, my fingers tapping the steering wheel all the way while I played different scenarios in my head of how this could go down. The moment I parked my car I got out quickly and half jogged to the massive, busy building. The moment I entered through the giant glass doors, echoed chatter filled my ears and I was immediately surrounded with people from all over the world, the different languages that drifted from conversations to my ears made me smile, it was culture in its truest form.

I shoved my fingers into my back pocket and pulled out the small piece of paper Jodie had given me earlier, silently thanking her because I would have forgotten where to go if it wasn't for this. My nerves never made me forget things but apparently, when it came to Bo, everything was turned upside down. I gave the stems of the flowers a firm squeeze of encouragement and off I went, making my way through the bundles of people as fast as I could. I wondered if they had gotten out yet, but when I checked my watch I saw that it was already way past landing time, she was here somewhere. With careful steps to keep myself hidden, I neared exit nine, studying the people on the escalator with a specific goal of spotting an impressive woman with impeccable beauty.

An older man that was wearing a hat stepped to the side to assist his lady with something, and when he did I spotted her. Standing half behind the man, with her nose buried in a brochure of Toronto, she was squinting but with a soft smile on her face as she turned the pages. And just then my heart skipped a beat, she was absolutely beautiful when she was deep in thought and unaware of her surroundings. I stood there, clutching the flowers, shaking my head as I stared at her. I couldn't even form a coherent thought other than I wanted to be close to her. When she looked up I moved quickly and hid behind a group of men, giving myself a few extra seconds to soak in the wonderful image that was Bo Dennis. She reached the bottom of the escalator and stepped forward, steadying the travel bag she had over her shoulder and followed behind a few people to retrieve her luggage. She pulled out her phone, multitasking on her way to the baggage carousel.

I followed her slowly, studying the way her hips moved and how that jean hugged her in all the right ways. I shook my head, swallowing dryly, how could someone be that drop dead gorgeous. I frowned when I spotted people looking her way, they stared at her like she was a meal and it gave me a protective feeling. But I smiled because I knew who Bo was texting right now. My phone buzzed, and I pulled it out quickly, smiling like an idiot at her text.

 _Bo: Lewis, I made it. looking forward to hearing more about those opportunities x_

I shoved my phone back into my pocket and held the flowers in a more romantic way. Bo stood with the other people, waiting for her luggage to come into view. I stared at her from behind and for the first time noticed how impressive her jawline was from behind. I licked my lips, shifting my weight to distract myself from certain thoughts. She shimmied through a few people then and grabbed her suitcase, lugging it off of the carousel and moved away again to allow the other people access. I smoothed out my shirt once more and wiped my hand on my jeans, the damn thing couldn't stop sweating and it was irritating me. Bo moved to stand near a pillar and put down her travel bag as well, getting her phone out again. She was about to call the cab company to hear if her car had arrived, I had to act now.

With a racing heart and nerves that threatened to strangle me, I gave slow steps towards the oblivious brunette. Her back was turned to me and I used that to my advantage. I inhaled deeply to get my voice to a steady point and spoke, "Excuse me, ma'am, do you need help with your luggage?"

Bo turned around with a soft smile, but the moment her eyes found mine that smile disappeared and her mouth fell open completely, followed by the widening of her chocolate brown eyes, "Oh my God... Oh my God," she repeated, sounding more shocked the second time, "Lauren, what are you doing here?"

I smiled at her, "Opportunity number one done and dusted."

A smiled broke out and spread from ear to ear on her face, "I thought that you were in England."

"Well, I figured I that I couldn't let you take on the city all by yourself."

Bo shook her head at me, staring at me with excited eyes, "I can't believe you're here. This is great."

I held out the flowers, my hands shaking slightly, "These are for you. I know that you know what they mean, so it saves me from making a fool of myself with a speech."

She accepted the bouquet of Daffodils, "New beginnings, respect, love, affection." Her eyes closed and she leaned in to smell them, her eyes closing momentarily and I felt something ache in my chest. Her eyes opened again and she smiled at me, "Lewis, I'm starting to believe that I'm not the only hopeless romantic between the two of us."

I shook my head at her and moved to her luggage before she saw me blushing, "Shall we go?"

Bo stood her ground, "Have I ever told you that you're adorable when you're nervous?"

I looked at her, trying to hide the smile that was threatening to spill, "I believe you have."

She stepped closer to me, "Well now I'm saying it again."

I inhaled deeply, desperately trying to escape the situation before I crumbled into a heap of desire. I took a small step back to grab her luggage. She smiled at me catching on that I was extremely nervous and nodded, grabbing her travel bag. She held the flowers close to her while we walked out of the airport, talking about how the flight was and the strange lady that sat next to her. Apparently, she had five kids and smelled like cookie dough. I laughed at Bo as we walked down the parking lot on the other side of the street. When we approached my car she suddenly stopped, "Shit, I have to call and cancel my cab."

I chuckled when she scrambled to grab her phone, "There's no need."

Bo raised a brow, staring at me, "What do you mean?"

I sighed, now I did feel like a stalker, "I kind of found out which cab company you were using and cancelled it."

Both of her brows raised now, "You come prepared."

I motioned for her to follow me, "Something like that."

I unlocked the car and put her bags in the trunk, smiling when I casually sauntered to the passenger's side and opened the door for her. She eyed me with an impressed look, but I could see that she was holding back a laugh. I glided into my seat, starting up the car and off we went. This was actually very uncharacteristic of me, I had never been the type to be romance someone, but it was like I felt compelled to do it with Bo, there was something about her that had me wanting to spoil her as much as I could.

When we were on the highway when I glanced at her, "Are you hungry?"

"I'm starving, I didn't eat anything at the party because I didn't get the chance to. My mother didn't allow me to do anything actually, she followed me around like a lost puppy."

I chuckled, "She already misses you I'm sure. Is she in favour of the move?"

"For the most time yes," she sighed, "At first she didn't want to know anything about it but once I explained most of the benefits to her she actually encouraged me to go."

"She sounds wonderful Bo."

"She really is, I don't know what I'd do without her."

We spent the rest of the drive talking about her mother, Carol sounded like the type of woman you would go to after a bad day. She was the type who would pour you a glass of milk and offer you cookies while you rambled on about your problems. The woman sounded very down to earth, and now I knew why Bo was the way she was, she had a wonderful mother that raised her right. Bo's father passed away while she was in high school, a terrible car accident that almost tore their family apart. I listened contently while she spoke, and the way she spoke about her father's death only showed me how strong she actually was. She had been through a lot in her life.

While we drove through the city, Bo was being all talkative and excited about everything she wanted to see. It was quite the sight to see her so excited, her eyes were but just the mere fact that she was with me in my car was enough to make my heart race. She was finally here, and I didn't know how I could explain to her how much it meant to me.

"I hope you're okay with burgers." I said as I pulled into the driveway of the restaurant.

"Are you kidding?' Bo asked as she got out of the car, "Burgers are the best."

I laughed as we fell into stride next to each other. Our arms were brushing and it was making me hold my breath. The relationship that was forming between Bo and I was going to take time to develop, I already knew that there was going to be many layers. We didn't really know each other when you thought of how long we've actually known each other, but it felt like I've known her my whole life and I was clinging to that. The only thing I was one hundred present certain of was the fact that I wanted to see where this could go.

We took our seats in a booth that was located in the far corner. The blue and red colours of this place made me feel even more on edge.

"Lauren calm down, I can hear you tapping your foot."

I looked at Bo who was staring me down with a smile and crossed my legs, nodding. The waiter came and took our orders, smiling like a little kid the second he laid his eyes on Bo. When he left Bo cleared her throat, "I hope you're going to keep that promise of being my tour guide."

I smiled, nodding slightly, "Of course, I have a few places I want to show you."

She smiled back at me, "Great." Then her gaze shifted from lighthearted to serious and genuine, "Can I just say how much I love the fact that you're here, I didn't expect this at all."

I felt my cheeks warm up, "I hope you don't mind that I kind of stalked you."

"Stalk all you want Lewis, you made my day. How long have you been here?"

The waiter came back and set our drinks down. And I took a large sip of my coke, enjoying the calming effect the coldness caused, "I landed on Thursday."

Bo's mouth fell open, "So you mean to tell me I've been begging none stop that you'll come sooner and all the while you've been home."

I chuckled, "Why do you think I avoided the topic so much?"

She smiled softly, "I must admit, I was getting pretty scared that you were going to stay there longer just so you don't have to face me."

"Why would you think that?"

Her hands went to the sides of her face and she groaned, "I don't know, I just, this whole thing with Dyson and the fact that he's your brother, I was scared that was going to stop you from, from finding out what this," she motioned between us, "could be. Now I know it sounds a bit far-fetched, and we haven't known each other that long bu-'

"Bo stop," I said, grabbing her hand. It caught me off guard as well but I loosened my grip a bit and rested our hands on the table, she was feeling just as insecure about this as I did, "The fact that Dyson is my brother is the least of my worries right now, I do care about what he's going to think but in all honesty Bo, he's happy with Tamsin, they belong together and I think I deserve to be happy too. I wasn't avoiding you, I've been staring at the clock nonstop these last few days in hopes that I'll be able to make time go faster. You and I both know that we have a strange bond that kicked off since the first moment we met, and yes, my back did bruise," Bo chuckled at my attempt to make the situation a bit lighter, "But I've been wanting nothing more than to see your face and hear you laugh." I gave her hand a firm squeeze after my ramble.

All she did was stare at me with a smile. It felt like there was electricity between our hands, because all I felt was warmth, she was warm and her skin was soft and her smile made it feel like my heart was going to jump right out of my chest. She allowed herself to be vulnerable and to me that smelled like progress.

"Were they really that much in the way?" she asked, trying to hold back a laugh.

I nodded, raising my brows, "No I just magically fell over nothing."

She gave my hand a firm squeeze, "At least I was there to save you."

I smiled, her sparkly eyes melting my sarcastic pose, "Guess I was lucky then."

Our food arrived, and the waiter set it down quickly. I laughed at Bo, she was eyeing her burger like it was the love of her life, but I didn't blame her because the aroma of the greasy goodness in front of us was enough to give anyone heart eyes. I gave her hand one last squeeze before I let it go, frowning at the coldness that replaced the warmth I experienced just seconds ago.

Bo popped a french-fry into her mouth, "I agree with you. Dyson and Tamsin are meant for each other. I had a long talk with him and he told me a lot of things. It all makes sense now," she said, staring into my eyes with a slight frown, "We didn't have a good relationship because neither of us truly felt something for each other, it can only work when it's genuine."

The way she looked at me when she spoke those words sent a shiver down my spine, it was like she was trying to tell me something but she was afraid that she was going to lose her nerve. Bo cleared her throat, "Tell me, how are things at work?"

Bo and I had a passionate discussion about the studio. How I started it and what inspired me to make it a gallery as well. I loved the way she listened when I was talking. Her eyes didn't leave mine, she held eye contact with me like her life depended on it and she had great comments about all the things I told her. I was blown away by how mature Bo was, I had met many people years older than we were who were as immature as juniors in high school. But not Bo, she was on a whole different level, and her actions spoke a thousand words. While we talked she would grab my hand, or run circles over my knuckles or give it a firm squeeze when she was trying to get her point across. I debated on scooting over and sitting next to her because I just craved being close to her. But that would be a bit too much for her first day here.

We payed the bill after we had milkshakes. She protested when I offered to pay for all of it but I didn't want to hear it.

Bo shook her head at me while we got up from the booth, "I can't believe you paid for everything."

"What can I say, when you mix great food with great conversation it deserves payment."

"You're impossible Lauren." She laughed as we left the restaurant.

I glanced at my watch, it was around ten. I smiled at Bo, "Shall we depart to your apartment?"

She looked at me, raising her brow, "Yes we shall, I'm beyond tired, it was a busy day." She handed me a piece of paper. It was the adress of her apartment. I knew exactly where it was.

I chuckled as we got in the car. It roared to life and I pulled out of the parking lot and sped off towards her apartment. If there was one thing I learned about Bo tonight, it was that she was crazy about lights. Especially city lights, she kept pointing and talking excitedly like a little kid and it had me struggling to keep my eyes on the road. It was like I didn't want to miss a single thing she did, because all of her movements seemed to be so elegant and precise that it intrigued me. It wasn't long until I pulled up at the apartment complex. I was impressed, I was expecting an apartment high up in some building but she chose a complex, and a good one at that. I should have known, she was so in love with nature it was a certainty that she would choose a home where she could have her own little garden. We got out and grabbed her things out of the trunk, my heart racing when she approaced me with an intense gaze.

"I'll walk you to the door?" I offered, clutching the handle of her suitcase.

She nodded, "Right this way Miss Lewis."

I smiled at her and followed her. We entered through a single soft sqeaking black gate, garden lights greeting us the moment we entered.

"Oh wow." Bo said in amazement, grinning from ear to ear.

Her apartment was the third one on the left, a cozy looking place with plants in the front. She bent down and reached into the mailbox, pulling out a set of keys along with a paper that seemed to be instructions. I heard the lock of the front door give and on went a light. She sighed with content and entered the house. I followed quickly, my eyes darting around as I took in the beautiful decor the place had. It was evident that someone had done this for her, but kudos to her because she had great taste. I loved how Bo's apartment had warm colours, gingerbread coloured bookshelves lined the far wall and her sofas were soft, almost tortilla coloured.

"It's beautiful Bo." I said in awe as I closed the door behind me. Moving further into the open plan apartment.

Bo took off down the short hall, "The bedroom is back here."

I took that as my signal to take her bag there and shimmied over the wooden floors, lugging her suitcase to her current destination. My eyes widened when I entered the bedroom, coming face to face with a massive bed covered in puffy white sheets. I set her suitcase down by her closet, turning to face her. She sighed, "I wish I could offer you some coffee but I need to do some shopping first."

I chuckled, taking a step closer to her, "I understand." I stared into her eyes, "I'm so happy that you're here Bo."

She took a step as well, bringing us within touch distance of each other, "I'm the one that's happy Lauren. You've made my day."

I smiled shyly, running a hand through my slightly wavy hair, "Then it has been a good day I guess."

"Very," she said softly, gently grabbing my hands, "I have a request."

I tilted my head, "Go right ahead."

"Okay," Bo took in a deep breath, swallowing, "Since you refused to let me pay for dinner, I want to make it up to you. Can I take you out to dinner tomorrow night?"

My words were lost into the tension filled air, and all I could do was nod, clearing my throat to wake up my voice, "That sounds great."

She smiled, sighing in relief, "Can I go ahead and assume that it would be our first date?"

"Yes you can." I answered almost immediately, the excitemeny her words brought me had me blurting it out.

Bo shook her head, "Good Lord your mother is really going to hate me, I don't even want to think about your father, or Dyson."

"Don't think about them then. They're my problem." I lifted our hands slightly, "I have to head home, I have a meeting tomorrow and the last thing I want is to be tired."

She nodded, letting go of one of my hands, holding steadily onto the other and pulled me out of the room. All I could do was stare at that impressive jaw while I walked slightly behind me. I was going to have all my days with self control from now on, it was evident. We came to a stop at her door, Bo standing rather close to me, "I'll pick you up at seven?"

I nodded, smiling at her, "I'll send you my adress."

"Sounds great." She said, staring at me.

I raised my shoulders, "Guess I should go now."

Bo smiled softly, nodding slowly, "I'll see you tomorrow."

She leaned in then, tilting her head and placed a soft, lingering kiss on my cheek. I closed my eyes at the feeling of her face so close to mine, it was a feeling I couldn't describe. Bo pulled back with questioning eyes and I returned a smile, letting her know that the action was okay. I let go of her hands and opened the door, knowing that if I didn't leave now I would do something that wasn't right for this night. I glanced at her one more time before I closed the door, my chest tightening as I walked to my car with much protest.

Asking myself why I didn't just kiss her like I wanted to right then and there. Now that we were away from prying eyes, the tension we had was rearing its head, giving me a look that said I wouldn't be able to win.

* * *

 **N: And so the fun begins :D**


	10. Chapter 10

**N: Once again, I apologize for the delay but family comes first this time of the year. Happy New Year everybody, it's 2018 and great things lie ahead. I hope all of you will make the best of it. So this chapter is mainly just BoLo because I felt it's only fair to emphasize this time for them. The next chapter will have more content in it and it's on its way. I hope you like this, I was stressing over it a bit.**

 **Any and all mistakes are mine.**

* * *

Holy hell...

I thought as that door closed. I turned around, smiling so wide that my vision was blurred and leaned against the dark wooden door. I placed a hand over my rapid beating heart when I heard Lauren drive off. My head was spinning, I was still trying to digest everything that had happened since I landed. Coming to Canada was definitely a good choice because not only did I now have a higher position in my profession, but I had a fair chance to get close to Lauren.

I pushed off of the door and went to the kitchen so I could put the flowers in some water. I didn't have a vase so I left them lying with the ends in the sink. It felt like I was floating on a cloud while I ambled back to my room, Lauren had successfully made me unable to form a coherent thought other than how much I wanted her to still be here. If only I had food in the house, then I could have asked her to stay longer, maybe open a bottle of wine. I would have to go shopping first thing tomorrow morning, I didn't want any hick-ups if Lauren ever came over. I sat down on the huge bed, trailing my hands over the puffy sheets. This whole week I had been pining over the fact that Lauren was going to stay in England longer than I wanted her too, but no, she was already here, she outsmarted me and I wasn't even aware of anything. Was there even a limit to her perfection?

I knew that Lauren wasn't perfect, nobody was and there was still a lot I didn't know about her. But every time I looked into her eyes I knew that I wanted to know everything about her because I had never met someone who could make me feel what she did every time she walked into the room, it was like my heart just said "she's the one" the moment I first laid my eyes on her. And in my books that meant she was perfect, despite her imperfections. I started undressing, slipping into some comfortable pyjamas so I could snuggle up with the sheets and thoughts of a beautiful blonde with big, dreamy brown eyes. It was inevitable, tomorrow night I was taking that woman out on a date and her full attention would be on me. And maybe, just maybe I would get the opportunity to end the night like I had wanted to tonight. If I had to settle for a kiss on her cheek again I would surely just die because I had to know how it felt to be that close to her. I had been thinking about it nonstop since the day she gave me that flower in the enchanted garden. That was why I had been so silent when she gave it to me... because, in that moment I wanted to kiss her, I seriously considered it. Because one of the many things that flower meant, was, 'I dare you to love me'. Right then and there, she dared me, and that was exactly what I was going to do if she was going to give me the opportunity to.

I was away from everything now, from Dyson, his family, everyone that would tell me it was not right because of who Dyson was to her. I was with Lauren, here in Toronto, and I was surely going to see where this could lead.

It was an opportunity I simply just couldn't miss.

* * *

My first day kicked off with a bang. I went to the grocery store and bought everything I needed for the house. I even opted for healthy food since Lauren went on and on about it that night she made pasta for me. Stating that if she had a choice she would probably make a salad before ordering out. Luckily for her, I understood because I worked out frequently and had to follow a healthy diet in order for that to actually work. I drove around the city in search of the perfect restaurant I could take her too, and I couldn't stop smiling when I found the perfect place. I set up something special for us and it was going to be perfect.

When I was done I debated on swinging by her studio, but decided against it since that would maybe be a bit too much for her. I didn't want to seem clingy or something, I just wanted to spend time with her. But it was okay because I would see her tonight. On my way back home I bought a new shirt for the occasion. I didn't understand my nerves, I was fidgeting like a teenager getting ready for their first date ever, but it was exciting.

When I reached the complex, I parked my car and filled my arms with shopping bags, carefully carrying them into my new home. But when I approached the door again I spotted something through the window. There was an old lady hanging around the small garden in front of my apartment, standing arms folded as she waited patiently. I went outside, closing the door softly and smiled at the stranger, "Hello, can I help you?"

The woman smiled, her blue eyes dancing over me quickly, "Hello there dear, excuse my intrusion, I just wanted to welcome you to the complex." She took a step towards me, raising her hand in greeting, "I'm Lillian Page."

I smiled, meeting her hand gesture, "Nice to meet you, Lillian, I'm Bo."

She smiled with content, the soft skin around her ocean blue eyes folding up in kindness, "What a pretty name." She pointed behind her, "I live just across from you so if you ever need anything you can feel free to come right over."

"Thank you, I appreciate that. Same to you."

Lillian nodded, "Thank you, dear. Are you all alone in the big city?"

"Yes," I said, nodding in agreement, "I got a promotion at work and it required me to move, so here I am."

"You kids and your jobs. Don't tell me you left a handsome young man waiting back home."

I laughed softly at her forwardness, shaking my head, "No ma'am, but I am taking a beautiful woman out on a date tonight."

Lillian tilted her head, raising a brow at me. It made me wonder if she was going to have a problem. But then she smiled, "My daughter and her wife have been married for seven years now, they instantly fell in love on the first date."

My eyes widened, my mind going blank for a second. I did not expect that at all. I returned a smile, "Well then let's hope mine goes well."

She started retreating then, quickly waving at me, "Good luck dear."

"Thank you," I said as I waved back at her and watched her enter her house. I shook my head while walking back to my car to collect the last few bags. I was going to enjoy living here more than I thought I would if everyone was as welcoming as Lillian was.

I spent the rest of my day unpacking some of my things and making the house my own. I had a huge closet which was great and a massive shower to top it all off. The apartment was a blessing, I was thankful that I found a place like this so soon. I was busy making myself a sandwich when I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket. I pulled it out quickly.

 _Lauren: I sent you the location of my house. Bo, are you sure you don't want to meet there? I don't want you to drive all the way out to the suburbs._

I smiled at her text, turning around to lean against the island.

 _Lewis, I'm picking you up, end of story x_

I waited a while for her to respond but she never did. So I set my phone down and continued the process of making a mouthwatering sandwich. During the whole day, she occupied my thoughts. All I could think about was this date and how beautiful she was going to look.

When the time came to get ready, it took one and a half hour. I found myself taking longer than usual just to apply simple makeup. I dressed in the dark blouse I bought and jeans I knew complimented me. The new blouse had a nice low cut so I knew I would not disappoint, I had seen Lauren staring at my assets more than one time and it made me blush every time she did. I stood in front of the mirror, smoothing out my shirt, making sure that I was ready. It was quarter past 6 so I would be a bit early if I left now but if there was traffic then I would be prepared. As I made my way to the door I laughed to myself, I had to calm down if I didn't want to make a complete fool of myself, know I knew what Lauren was feeling last night when she took me out.

The drive out to the suburbs was a calming one. Toronto was a good city with lots of culture and friendly people who smiled at you even when they were crossing the road. It wasn't at all like that in New York. It was almost like the people here were all a big happy family, standing together for the same cause and that was to make the world a little bit better. This was the place you would stay at to start a family.

When Maps indicated that my destination was on the right, I felt my heart start beating. I pulled into the driveway of a double story house with giant floor to ceiling windows, double checking my phone that I was at the right place, along with that I sent her a quick text that I was here. I got out of the car and ran my hands over my blouse, checking myself in the mirror quickly. This was it. I fidgeted with my clothes while I waited for her, wondering if she would be able to sense my nervousness like I could sense hers last night. But it was all because of her so I was going to soak it in.

Moments later I heard a door close on the side of the house since the garage was all you could see from where I was, hurried footsteps echoed on the pebbled path as she made her way to me and when she rounded the corner my breath caught in my throat. I stared wide-eyed at a slim but toned figure in the most amazing white, perfectly fitting button down, topped off with jeans that showed off the shape of long legs. Lauren looked up and smiled at me, approaching me quicker than I could take in her attire and I shifted my weight to the other foot to try and calm my raging heart.

"You clean up nice prosecutor Dennis," she smirked at me.

A wide grin broke out on my face and I reached for her hand, my heart jumping when I felt her soft skin against mine, "Well you always look nice, but tonight is exceptional."

Lauren chuckled, squeezing my hand, "Shall we get going?"

I nodded quickly, bouncing back so I could open the door for her. Lauren got in quickly and I skipped to my side. Lauren smiled while putting on her seatbelt, "Are you renting this car?"

I nodded, trailing my hands over the fancy steering wheel of the white BMW, "Yes, until I find myself one."

"Fancy," she stated, winking at me, "Where are we going?"

I eyed her while starting the car, pulling out of her driveway, "Lewis, that's for me to know and for you to find out."

She laughed at me and looked out the window, staring at the houses with their white picket fences as we drove by. I couldn't help but feel that something was a bit off with her. There was a sparkle in her eyes when she looked at me but when she looked away it would disappear and she would get lost in her head. I left the matter and put on some music to ease some of the tension. There was a different atmosphere tonight, it wasn't like last night, but I decided to leave it, I had an idea what was bothering her but confronting the situation before dinner was not a good idea. I was just hoping my surprise would cheer her up.

"Here we are," I said as I parked the car, smiling when I saw a small smile creep up and grace her beautiful face.

I got out quickly and raced to her side, holding out my arm for her and she took it without hesitation. I felt giddy to have Lauren on my arm, this evening was going to be fun, she just had to relax and allow me to guide her through it. We entered the restaurant and the man that helped me earlier today recognised me immediately, showing us to our private table in the back where there were candles and flowers on the table. Our chairs got pulled out for us and the moment we sat down I met Lauren's eyes, frowning slightly when she was still not the cheerful woman she was last night.

When the waiter left to get the wine I ordered. I reached across the table and took her hand in mine, "Lauren, are you okay?"

She gave me a soft smile, "I'm sorry, yes I'm fine."

"No you're not," I said, reaching out to take her other hand, "What's going on? You were abnormally quiet in the car and you're not even looking at me."

Her eyes switched back to mine, "I'll tell you about it over dinner."

The waiter came back, with the bottle of wine, enclosed like I had asked and he poured us each a glass. I raised mine and smiled at Lauren, "To, new opportunities."

"To new opportunities," she said and clinked our glasses.

I waited before I took a sip so I could see her face when she realised, and when she sipped her wine her eyes widened, jumping to mine with a new spark, "You didn't?"

I laughed as she reached out to the ice bucket and took the towel off of the wine bottle, "Yes I did."

Lauren pulled out the bottle that was nothing else than her father's newest brand of wine. The special bottle he created just for his kids. She smiled, setting the bottle back and shook her head at me, "What am I going to do with you?"

I held my tongue, now was not the time for a flirty comeback. Instead, I dipped my head to keep eye contact with her, "You deserve a good night out. You spent two years tending to other people's needs. Let me take care of you tonight."

It was almost instantaneous that Lauren's eyes glossed over as she looked at me. Then I knew my suspicions had been right. I swallowed, finding the courage to say what I wanted to, "You had another dream again didn't you?"

She stared at me with confusion, breathing heavily, "How did you-"

"I heard you that night. You were crying for a long time. I wanted to comfort you but I didn't want to intrude. Lauren, I know we haven't known each other that long but I can see how the things you experienced in that war is affecting you. I saw everything, the way you smiled and put up a front at your parent's house. I don't want you to do that with me. If you had a bad night, tell me because I really want to support you. I want to be there for you."

Her beautiful face held a painful expression as she fought to hold back tears. I gave her hand a firm squeeze when she nodded at me. I knew that she was at a loss for words, and that was okay. She didn't have to say anything. To my surprise, Lauren took a sip of her wine and then she smiled at me. The adorable sparkle in her big brown eyes returning in an instant and it only fueled my own smile.

The waiter came up to us, clearing his throat, "Are you ladies ready to order?"

We decided to share the king lobster since Lauren's father went on and on about how his wine would compliment it well. And it did, the moment our food arrived and we had a taste of the fine seafood cuisine it was like we were in a whole different place.

Lauren and I made small talk all through dinner, laughing and making jokes. It was fun to see her return to her old self, she radiated happiness and calmness and it made my own nerves disappear. I was halfway through my dish of the lobster when I took a little break and leaned back, picking up my glass of wine, "So I met an interesting person today."

Lauren swallowed her food, raising a brow, "Oh yeah?"

I nodded, laughing slightly to myself, "Lillian Paige, my new neighbour. I was carrying my groceries into the house when I met her, hanging around my door. She was very friendly and asked me about why I was here. But turns out she has a daughter who fell in love right on the first date and who is now married to a lovely wife." I shook my head, sipping on my wine, "She's a strange old lady but I'm happy to have met her, she's nice, almost reminds me of my grandmother,"

Lauren smiled, "I'm glad you met someone in the complex, it can get lonely awkward when your neighbours just stare at you without greeting you." She waved her hand, "What did you do all day?"

I leaned forward, making a face, "Let's see," I started counting on my fingers, "Thought about you, did some shopping, I met Lillian, thought about you some more, ate a sandwich, oh and, I thought about you."

An amused chuckle escaped her throat, making the muscles dance in a way that begged me to kiss them. I swallowed, looking at something else to compose myself. Lauren cleared her throat, speaking in a forced tone since her grin was making it difficult to speak properly, "Sounds like a productive day."

"Very," I stated with a smile. I stared at her, my eyes drifting to her lips then, they looked soft and welcoming and her entire demeanour was dark. The candles in the room made the atmosphere less than appropriate. I swallowed, biting my lip slightly, "You, are absolutely beautiful Lauren."

I watched as she smiled softly, blushing from her neck to her cheeks. She tucked a stray hair behind her ear, "I can say the same about you, Bo. You're absolutely breathtaking, and if I'm being honest, that was the very first thing that popped into my head the moment you leaned over me in that kitchen."

I chuckled, "I did lean a bit close didn't I."

She nodded, raising a brow, "Maybe a little, but I don't expect anything less from you."

I sat forward again to finish my dinner, loving how she was loosening up now, "Tell me about your day."

"It was a busy day. I had some meetings to attend to and some things to get ready."

"Is everything still running smoothly?" I questioned, popping a bite of lobster into my mouth.

Lauren smiled, leaning her chin on the palm of her hand, "I'm actually really grateful of Tamsin and Jodie, my assistant. They did a great job, Bo, I literally walked in there and there wasn't a single problem I had to solve."

"I have no doubt that you put capable people in charge. I would love to come by sometime so I can see you in work mode."

She chuckled, "Believe me I'm not that impressive at work. I mainly sit in my office and plan exhibitions or I do photo shoots."

"That's exactly what I want to see," I stated, "I want to see you with your camera, working your magic."

"You're welcome anytime." She finished off her glass of wine, grinning at me, "Speaking of, when am I going to see some of your photos?"

I felt my cheeks go beet red, and I set my cutlery down, indicating that I was done, "I'll be happy to show you but they're not nearly as good as yours."

Our waiter came around again, and took away our plates, coming back shortly after, "Can I get you some dessert?"

I shook my head no, "Um actually, can we get the bill please?"

He nodded and shuffled off. Lauren looked at me funny, playfully squinting at me, "What if I wanted dessert?"

I smiled at her, "Don't worry, the evening isn't over yet. You'll get your dessert."

She raised a brow, nodding as she reached into her pocket and tried to look at the bill when I opened it. But as soon as I caught her I pulled it away from her sight, "You're not paying for anything."

"What if I want to?"

"Then you'll be disappointed," I smiled as I slipped money into the case and set it down on the corner of the table.

We got up together, my eyes once again travelled over her amazing shape while she straightened her shirt out. I walked to her, holding out my arm again, "Shall we."

"We shall," she laughed and grabbed my arm, walking soulfully out of the restaurant with me. When we were back in the car she turned to me, smiling as I started the car up and pulled out of the parking lot, "How did you find out where to take me so quickly? You've only been here for one day."

I acted mighty, "Are you forgetting who you're talking to?"

Lauren sat back in her seat, saluting me, "Right prosecutor, my apologies prosecutor."

All I could do was laugh at her silliness. This drive was a lot more lighthearted and full of out of the stomach laughter. This time it was Lauren making jokes and acting silly. She had relaxed over dinner and I felt amazing knowing it was me who made her calm down and feel better. She deserved to be happy and she deserved someone to help her through this. She did, however, make fun of me for the music I listened to, apparently, I didn't look like the kind of person that listened to Shania Twain but I begged to differ. She just ended up cranking it up, laughing while I sang along to the music to amuse her. Actually, I just loved hearing the sound of her in fits of giggles while I made strange hand gestures to match the lyrics.

I stopped at an ice cream parlour, one I stopped by at earlier today to make sure it stayed open late. But it was the perfect place because it was right across from the park. I bought us each three large scoops of chocolate ice cream, watching her enjoy the creamy goodness as we walked side by side across the road to the park. It had light blue garden lights, illuminating the trees and flowers that were well looked after.

"It's beautiful here," I said with a slight slur since my tongue was freezing cold.

Lauren smiled at me, licking her plastic spoon, "Yes it is, but in all honesty, I never really came here much."

I widened my eyes at her, "How? It's so peaceful."

We stopped next to the pond, sitting down on a bench, facing each other, "Sometimes you're just busier than you think you are and then you don't get time for a lot of other things."

"Maybe it's time to work on that then," I said, looking at her with an intense gaze that I hoped got my point across.

She stared at me, the moon emphasizing her big eyes and the small bit of ice cream on the outside of her lip. I giggled, reached across and slowly allowed my hand to make contact with her lovely face. I wiped the bit of ice cream off and licked it off of my thumb, smiling at her.

"Thank you," She said shyly and popped another spoonful of ice cream into her mouth, her gaze falling back on the pond.

We spent a while walking through the park, talking and giggling. I was a bit too scared to hold hands with her yet so I let our hands brush as we walked on the paths. Lauren was so much fun to be with, she was always ready for a challenge and not nearly as serious as the person she came across as. I could see how she was showing me parts of herself nobody else had seen and it was making me even more excited. I led her back to the car, allowing her to be on my arm again while I took in her heavenly sweet smell. Once I was in the car, I popped a mint into my mouth without her noticing and off we went. She told me about a lot of places she would like to take me and when we reached the end of the city she pointed at something. It was her studio. When I looked at it I raked my brain, wondering how I had not seen it but I made a mental note because I knew I would be surprising her at work soon.

I pulled into her driveway with a heavy heart, smiling sadly at her as we got out of the car. My eyes darted around quickly as I took in the outside of her house, it was beautiful and obviously a very expensive place. I reached out then and took her hand in mine, intertwining our fingers like I had wanted to do all night long. I glanced at her and saw her blush, looking at the floor. We walked to the side of the house where she had come from, my eyes widening at how everything was mainly glass except for the fancy wooden door.

We stopped at the door, Lauren turning to face me. She smiled, "Would you like some coffee?"

All I could do was smile at how beautiful she was. Her big eyes made her seem innocent, then those lips told me another thing, but her cheekbones screamed elegance and her jaw was begging me to kiss it. I shut my eyes tightly, opening then slowly, "Lauren, tonight has been..." I let my words drift because I didn't even have the words to describe how great it was to have her sit at a table with me and talk about our lives and how our day was. It felt like something I could get used to.

I took a step closer to her, "You look beautiful Lauren."

She swallowed, her dark eyes meeting mine. But I continued, "I can't even explain to you how happy I am that you're here. I was so worried that you were going to stay in England and never return."

Lauren slowly closed the space between us, smiling, "Bo, I wouldn't be able to stay away even if I tried."

She was so close to me that her body heat danced over to me, waking up every cell in my body, telling me to suck it up and do what I had been thinking about for a whole week. It was like my hands had a mind of their own and they reached up slowly, finding their place on the side of Lauren's face. I swallowed, exhaling quickly and leaned in, my eyes closing as I hovered for a second, waiting to see if she was going to pull away or not. But she didn't, instead, she met me and brushed her lips against mine. A delicious shiver climbed my spine, urging me on to close the distance completely. And so I did.

My lips met Lauren's with soft impact, a simple, closed mouth kiss just to test the waters. But the moment I felt her this close to me something in my heart exploded. I parted her lips, deepening the kiss so I could show her what she made me feel. Her hands went around my waist and she pulled me closer to her, our bodies melting together like the world was going to end if we parted. Never in my life had I ever experienced something like this, the rush, the emotion, it was all too much for me to handle. I moaned softly, kissing her a bit harder this time as my thumbs trailed over her jaw, giving me inappropriate ideas that would surely ruin the night. We parted for a second, and I thought the kiss was over but Lauren's head tilted and immediately her mouth was on mine again, kissing me with more passion and need than the first time. My hands went into her hair, pulling her closer to me so this one couldn't end. Her lips were soft and warm. I could feel in the way she held me how she wanted me, but not in that way, in a loving way, because her arms settled perfectly on my hips. I felt like a teenager, sneaking a kiss before her parents would look through the window and see us. This moment was just perfect and I couldn't help but let my mind run rampant with thoughts.

There was no way in hell I was going to let Lauren go, this woman had to be it, there was no doubt about it. I broke the kiss, leaning my forehead against hers. Both of us were panting and I could feel her heartbeat as we were chest to chest. I swallowed, whispering, "Lauren."

"Yes?" She whispered back, her hands caressing my sides.

I frowned slightly, and pulled away, my hands holding her face again and I could see in her eyes all of the emotions she was experiencing. I felt a rush of emotions rip through me and whispered again, "Can I keep you?"

Her eyes softened, and a small grin broke out on her beautiful face. She nodded, not speaking a word. I smiled, leaning my forehead against hers again. But I didn't kiss her, my arms snaked around her neck and I pulled her in for a hug. Her arms came upward and she embraced me, inhaling deeply.

"You smell good." She said, making me giggle. I buried my head in between her neck and her shoulder, kissing the skin softly before pulling back.

I smiled at her, "When can I see you again?"

She dragged her hands over my back, resting them on my hips, "Tomorrow? For lunch. You can meet me in the studio and we can come here."

My smile widened, "Perfect."

I leaned in again, kissing her softly, smiling against her lips, "You smell good too."

Lauren giggled, pulling away, "Drive safe."

I nodded, "I will."

I took a step back, narrowing my eyes, "No milk dates without me, got it?"

She smiled, crossing her heart, "I promise I won't."

"Good," I said, quickly leaning in and planted another kiss on her lips, "One for the road," I admitted as I walked away, winking at her.

I waited for Lauren to enter the house before I walked to my car and made my way home. I was seeing her again tomorrow for lunch, but not just any lunch... lunch at her house!


	11. Chapter 11

Tingling. That was what my lips were doing. They were tingling in the spirit of excitement and longing. Good Lord was Lauren a good kisser. I expected her to be spectacular but instead, she surprised me again with being phenomenal. She was definitely a passionate person when it came to things like this and I was wishing to rewind every second just so I could be in that moment again with her arms around me, my hands on her long neck and my lips on hers. At least I was seeing her again tomorrow, the sooner the better because all I could think about now was how much I wanted another moment like that because it had been perfect.

I stared at myself in the mirror, my brown hair falling over my shoulders, dripping water down my body. I raised my hand and trailed my fingers over my lips. I kissed Lauren. I started smiling, I kissed Lauren Lewis tonight and it was mind-blowing. The way she listened to me and didn't just follow her own pace was the best thing, we moved together, breathed the same air and formed an even closer bond than we already had. I knew that we only had good things waiting for us now. Because all I had in my mind was good things, the things I wanted to do with her now, experience with her.

I grabbed my towel from the counter and started drying my hair while I walked down the hall and into my room. I had to admit that I was going to miss the luxury of having a bathroom attached to my room but this apartment was perfect for the price I was paying for it. I knew coming to Canada was the best decision I could've made. I sat on my bed, thinking about the strange way all of this fell into place, if I hadn't met Dyson, I wouldn't have met Lauren. It was like all of this was meant to be. I knew from the beginning that Dyson and I weren't going to work out, but still, something told me to hold out a little while longer. I wasn't even supposed to go there to surprise him because I planned to leave him when he came back. Now I knew why I went, it was like my heart knew she was there before my mind did.

I was a bit worried that Lauren was going to feel strange about me kissing her since I had been with her brother. But in all honesty, there was never any passion involved when I kissed him and we only slept together for a total of three times in the seven months we had been together. And those moments weren't about love, they were purely to satisfy the growing need every normal human being had within them. There really never was anything special between us and I hope that Lauren would be able to see it that way because we had something more.

I didn't want to make Lauren feel like I was smothering her, which was why I was holding back with us, but I was serious about her and I wanted to be with her. That was why I asked her tonight if I could keep her because my heart was forcing me to do it, I had to make her understand that I wanted her to give me a chance. The way I felt when I was with her tonight was unlike anything I could possibly explain. I felt so comfortable with her. Like I could do or say anything and she wouldn't judge me.

I got dressed and climbed into bed, snuggling into my pillows, trying to remember exactly what she smelled like. What I could give to cuddle with her. I smiled and closed my eyes, silently telling her to have sweet dreams, hoping that it would somehow reach her.

* * *

Loud knocking on my door woke me up, pulling me from the peaceful sleep I had been in and forced me to open my eyes in a fit of confusion. I groaned, roughly removing my covers from my sleepy body and pulled myself out of bed to stop the irritating sound of fingers hitting wood. I trudged to the door, scratching my head while yawning and unlocked it, swinging it open with the intention to be a bit less than friendly.

"Good morning dear," Lillian's voice danced into my ears before I even spotted her.

My eyes widened at the older woman in front of me and my arms immediately went up to cover my chest. I was wearing a white shirt without a bra, making me feel guilty about one of my best assets for the first time in my life, "Lillian," I said surprised, blinking profusely, "Can I help you?"

"Oh no," she smiled, "I want you to meet my daughter, well daughters."

I frowned, staring at her with a look that screamed if she was being serious.

"Mom stop it," a woman's voice came from behind Lillian, and I saw a tall woman with short black hair exit Lillian's house. She jogged over quickly, placing a hand on Lillian's arm, "I'm so sorry, my mother tends to be a bit forward."

"Oh hush dear, I just want her to make friends. She's like you."

My eyes widened while her daughter groaned and slapped her own forehead. Lillian smiled, "Bo, this is my daughter Ella."

Ella pushed past her mother, blocking her from seeing me, "I'm sorry," she mouthed at me and turned around, "Mom that's enough, please go inside and tell Maggie I'll be over in a few."

Lillian turned around, all smiles while she skipped to her home. Ella turned back around, staring at me. Both of us just laughed while shaking our heads. She raised her hand in greeting, "Ella Paige."

I smiled and shook her hand quickly, "Bo Dennis."

"I apologize on behalf of my mother, she can be a bit, forward. I don't think she even understands what the word boundary means, let alone that it exists."

I shook my head, "It's fine, really. This place could use a bit of excitement, it's awfully quiet."

She nodded, "Yes but that doesn't mean it needs a nosy old lady" she looked back at Lillian's house, "Anyway, it was nice to meet you, Bo, I hope you're settling in okay."

I smiled waving at her while she retreated, "Nice meeting you."

My door closed with a soft click and I leaned my head against it, giggling at how strange my neighbour was. Coffee, I needed coffee. I spun around and skipped into the kitchen, smiling at the flowers that rested on the coffee table in the living room. I made myself a steaming hot cup of coffee and retreated to my room, opening my closet to see what I was going to wear for my date with Lauren. I had two hours to kill before I had to meet her and I was going to her house for lunch so that meant I could dress casually. I settled on a loose blouse that showed off my assets and a pair of moss green shorts. I was excited about the fact that Lauren invited me to go to her studio. The way she talked about it told me that it was important to her, so the invitation to meet her there meant a lot to me.

I got ready quickly, pulling my hair up into a ponytail since it was a hot day. The house was quiet, too quiet for my liking and I craved the time to fly by. I grabbed my phone and mad my way into the living room, scrolling through my contacts so I could give my mother a call, I was supposed to do it the night I landed and there was a ton of messages from her.

I pressed the phone to my ear, patiently waiting for her to answer.

"Ysabeau, it's about time."

I smiled, sitting down on the couch, "Hi mom."

"I'm happy to hear from you. How is everything, are you settled in okay?"

"Yeah, my apartment is great and I already made a friend, Lillian, she's old and reminds me of granny."

My mother chuckled, "That's great my love, I miss you already and it hasn't even been two days."

"It's okay mom, I'll visit often."

"You better. When is Lauren coming?"

I blushed, pulling my legs up underneath me, "You won't believe it when I tell you."

"Tell me," I could hear her curiosity right through the phone.

"She's already here. Has been for a few days, she came back earlier to surprise me. She picked me up from the airport and everything." My smile grew wider the more I said, "Mom, she's amazing, I took her out on a date last night."

My mother laughed slightly, "I like her more and more every day, I hope you took her somewhere nice."

"Of course I did, candlelight dinner, a walk in the park, plus I even walked her to her front door."

"I knew I raised you right," she teased.

I smiled, "Yes you did mom, and she was raised right too. She's amazing."

"As long as your happy my love."

"I am mom, everything I want is here in Toronto. Except you, of course, I promise I'll come back to visit you as soon as I can."

"I'm holding you to it."

"So what are you up to?" I asked her.

We talked for a while and I listened to her vent about how the other ladies in her book club were stuck up snobs that didn't even appreciate the beauty of books. Hearing my mother's voice soothed me, we were so close and she knew a lot of things about me. It was kind of difficult to keep anything from her. When I got back to New York she knew that something had changed about me and she wouldn't drop the subject. That was how I ended up telling her everything, especially how wonderful Lauren was and how much I fancied her. I expected her to be upset with me over the fact that I was making googly eyes at my ex-boyfriend's sister but to my surprise, she understood completely and she was supporting me. I was privileged to have a mother like her, she had never ever left my side and I felt knowing she never would.

I told her that I had to go when I got a notification and saw that it was from Lauren. It made me feel all giddy on the inside every time her name flashed on that screen. We said our goodbyes and I couldn't open Lauren's text quick enough.

 _Lauren: I finished all of my work. You can come earlier if you want to, I'll wait for you at the studio._

My eyes widened at her text, a loving grin spreading across my face. Was this really happening? Was I going to meet Lauren at her business and then spend time at her home? It all felt like a dream, but I didn't let any grass grow under my feet. It took me all but five minutes to lock up the house and hop into my car. It was actually a great car and I was thinking about buying a model like this, I just had to visit some dealerships. The car got me safely through traffic and handled the small bump into the parking lot of her studio with ease. I got out, checking myself in the mirror just like last night and stared at the building with wide eyes. I was beyond excited to take a look inside. My feet carried me forward and I smiled when I spotted Lauren's car, my chest tightening with longing. I pushed the large door open, my eyes widening at the open space I was greeted with. Soft chatter and the frequent click of a camera filled my ears, successfully notifying me that I was at Lauren's studio.

I walked deeper into the building with the intention of stopping at a desk with a blonde woman sitting behind it. But a tall woman with red hair came out of an office, startling me slightly. She smiled, "Hi, how can I help you?"

I returned a polite smile, "I'm here to see Lauren Lewis."

The woman's smile broke out into a wide grin, along with the rise of a brow, "You must be Bo."

I frowned slightly, but held my smile, "Yes that's me."

The woman nodded, "I'm Jodie, come on, you can wait in her office."

Jodie turned around quickly and started walking. I fell into stride next to her my heart beating profusely. We rounded a corner and walked down a short hall, coming to a halt outside a door that Lauren's name on it. Jodie opened the door, "You can wait in here."

I thanked her and watched as she walked off, listening to the sound of her footsteps echoing on the floor. I took a deep breath and pushed the door open, entering an office that was beautifully decorated. There was even a couch with a coffee table on the right-hand side. The office held Lauren's smell. Clean and sweet. I smiled, my eyes roaming from the leather couch to her giant wooden desk until it landed on the one picture I had been dying to see. I swallowed, quickly walking around her desk and came to a stop at the first picture Lauren took with her very first camera. She was right, it was breathtaking and intense, I understood now why sharing it with the world was a big deal. It hit close to home. I smiled while staring at it, the house looked different back then and it suddenly made me think about how it would've been if I had known Lauren at such a young age. We were still pretty young but I couldn't help but wonder what she was like back then because I knew the war changed her.

I heard Lauren's voice in the distance and it was growing louder as she neared the office. I smiled to myself and quickly sat down in her chair, professionally folding my hands on her desk as I waited for her. The moment she entered the office I cleared my throat like a teacher who was about to scold a tardy student and she looked up from a file she was holding.

"Lewis, I have been waiting for what feels like ages."

Lauren smiled and dropped the file to her side, reached back and closed her door. She sat down on a chair opposite me, "Well Miss Dennis, what can I do to take this off of my record."

I stroked my chin, staring at her like I had a plan. Then I smiled and turned my head, tapping my finger on my cheek to signal that I wanted a kiss from her. She chuckled, getting up slowly and sat down on the desk in front of me. She held her hand out to me and I took it quickly, feeling her give it a slight pull to get me to stand up. I moved and stood in front of her, my heart suddenly beating as she was now leading this little joke I started. Her eyes were dark as she stared at me and for a moment I thought that she was going to kiss me but she just gave me the one on my cheek that I asked for.

She leaned back with a smile, "Thank you for coming."

I gave her a kiss on her cheek as well, lingering for a second, "This painting is amazing."

Lauren looked behind me, her smile widening and she stood up, still holding my hand, "I thought it would be best if you saw it without me here ranting about the bad technique I used."

I turned to her, "It's perfect Lauren. I understand why you cherish it so much."

"Maybe I should take a new one so it can be compared."

I smiled, running my thumb over her knuckles, "Maybe you should."

She looked at me, her hazel eyes had sparkles in them today, maybe that meant she slept better last night. She moved away from me and to her desk, setting everything in its place. I frowned at the lack of contact while I watched her scribble down a note. She taped it to a file and reached for her bag, "Ready to go?"

"Yep." I nodded, smiling widely at her.

"Let's go then." She smiled back at me and held the door open for me.

I walked out with her and we sauntered down the hall back into the huge room I entered in. I was amazed at how normal this felt, meeting her here and then leaving together. It was something I could definitely get used to. Jodie came out of her office, accepting a file from Lauren, "I'll handle this boss, go and have fun." She looked at me quickly and winked, then shifted her gaze back to Lauren, "Don't forget about your meeting tomorrow morning."

"I won't," Lauren said, "Thank you, Jodie."

Lauren turned then, smiling at me and motioning to me to follow her. We walked side by side to the parking lot and I hated parting from her to get in my car. I followed her home, our gazes locking every time we came to a stop at a red light, she was looking at me in her rearview mirror the whole time and it made so giddy I wanted to laugh from excitement. When we reached her house, she opened her massive double garage and signalled for me to park my car inside. I did so carefully and got out with sweaty hands. This was it, I was at Lauren's house, the event I had been waiting for all day.

She got out of her car, smiling at me and led me to the door that linked the house and the garage. She unlocked it and allowed me to enter first. We walked through her washroom that led straight into the kitchen and my eyes widened. I turned to her, "I can fall in love with your kitchen."

She moved to the island and set her bag down, narrowing her eyes, "Does that mean I have competition now."

I smiled, shaking my head, "Not even for a second."

She nodded, picking up her bag, "Can I ask you a favour?"

"Anything," I said while nodding.

"There's a bottle of wine in the fridge and the glasses are right over there," she pointed behind me, "Will you pour us some while I get dressed?"

"Of course," I said, moving a bit closer to her, "Corkscrew?'

Lauren nodded and pulled one out of a drawer behind her before she bolted to her room down the hall. I smiled and grabbed the wine glasses, but my eyes widened when I opened her fridge, it literally only consisted out of healthy food. I laughed and shook my head while pulling out the bottle of pretty expensive white wine, pouring us each a glass. It wasn't long until Lauren came back, wearing shorts that had my eyes widening when I spotted her long legs. I swallowed, handing her a glass after popping the wine back in the fridge.

Lauren accepted it willingly and motioned for me to follow her. I walked behind her into her living room, and my jaw dropped, "Lauren you have a beautiful house."

We took a seat on the large leather couch, "Thank you, but I'm thinking of getting a smaller place, this house is way too big for me."

I shook my head, "I think it's perfect. Do you think you got the big house because you grew up in the manor?"

She sipped her wine, "I think so, I think things stick with you if you're raised with them."

I nodded in agreement, "How has your day been, you finished work pretty early." I said while glancing at my watch, the day only reached twelve now.

Lauren nodded staring at me, "I guess I had an excuse." She winked at me, "But it was good, things are picking up now and I took on some new projects to give to our new photographers. I'm just excited to see what Kenzi will dish up for her project, she's working on it today already."

My jaw dropped, "Wait a minute, did you just say Kenzi?"

Lauren nodded, frowning at me with an amused smile.

"As in, Mackenzie Malikov?" I asked.

Lauren nodded once again, "Yes, I gave her a permanent job the other day, she's extremely talented."

"Oh my God," I said, laughing slightly, "I went to high school with her. She was my best friend back then."

Lauren's smiled widened, "Really? Well, then you should come by the studio when she's in. I'm sure she'll love seeing you again."

"I just keep getting happier and happier that I moved here," I admitted.

"I told you that you won't regret it."

I smiled at her and moved a little closer to her. Our legs touched, sending my heartbeat through the roof. I took a sip of my wine, "And I'm glad I listened to you."

She tilted her head, "I'm still trying to figure out just exactly who you are Bo Dennis."

I frowned slightly, unsure what she meant by that strange statement.

"You're beautiful, that's no secret," she started with a soft smile, "You're one of the most mature people I've ever met but also one of the most playful. How can that be?"

I blushed slightly, sipping my wine again, "Lauren, you're going to make me finish my glass of wine before you've even taken a second sip."

Lauren laughed slightly, "Right. Are you hungry?"

I nodded, "I skipped breakfast. So yes."

"Bo you can't skip breakfast."

We got up and made our way back to the kitchen. Lauren was shaking her head at me, "Because-"

"It's the most important meal of the day right?"

She gave me a knowing smile while opening the fridge, "Yes it is."

I sighed, finishing off my wine, "Well you'll sing a different tune when I say I skipped it specially for our date."

Lauren raised a brow at me, "This is a date?"

"Lewis, you're not being funny."

She laughed, setting down items like cheese and chicken, butter and lettuce, "I'm kidding."

"You better be."

All while Lauren was making us lunch, I didn't know what to do with my eyes. They were acting like naughty children because every time I stopped thinking about what I was doing they would run over Lauren's legs, her neck, her hips, her lips. I couldn't contain the desire to kiss her. I offered to help her with lunch but she refused, claiming that I did everything for her last night and now it was her turn. But I didn't protest because it gave me more time to stare at her. I loved the way she moved around her house, her movements were precise and planned and it had me feeling captivated. I kept thinking about what Lauren said in the living room. She complimented me in a way that someone had never done before and it made me happy to know that she was intrigued by me. But I felt exactly the same about her, I was also still trying to figure out exactly just who Lauren Lewis was.

"Stop staring at me," she announced while putting lettuce on our chicken sandwiches.

I raised a brow, "Who said I'm staring?"

"Bo," she looked at me, "I can feel your eyes on me."

I felt my cheeks heat up, and I took another sip of my wine, setting it down before I walked to her slowly. I could see her start smiling as I got closer and closer. I came to a stop next to her, resting my hand on the island next to her hand, "Are you complaining?"

She inhaled and swallowed, ignoring my question while carrying on with the food. I moved slowly, I was still a bit unsure of where she stood with me being a bit physical, so I raised my hand, touching her hip and slid it across her back so I could pull her against my own body. The moment she was against me I inhaled, relishing in her sweet smell. I leaned into her, speaking close to her ear, "Would you complain if I kissed you again?"

Lauren turned then, my hand slipping over her back. She picked up my other hand and rested it around her waist, "Bo, you don't have to ask."

My brows raised as I looked deeply into her eyes, my body screaming at me to just lean in and kiss her like I had been craving to since I left her at her door last night. But we had to start of with good communication. I drew small circles on her back with my thumbs, "I know, I just, this whole thing about me having been with Dyson kind of feels like an elephant in the room. One I absolutely cannot ignore," I sighed, "I just don't want to make you uncomfortable."

"Bo," Lauren started, reaching up and placing a hand softly on my neck, her thumb running along my jaw, "It's definitely not an elephant in the room. I know what the nature of your relationship with him was and I know that both Dyson and I have found what we wanted now. You will most definitely not make me uncomfortable."

I smiled softly at her, she just gave me a green light. My hands went upwards on her back and I leaned in slowly, closing my eyes to savour the moment as our lips met slowly. I felt the walls around me crumble down, everything about this moment was overwhelming. I moved slowly, parting her lips to take more and her other hand came up so she could hold my face. There was a potion in her lips and it had me on a trip I didn't want to come down from, just the feeling of her soft lips mixed with the taste of wine had me going crazy inside. I moved even closer to her so that we were chest to chest as I kissed her like I had dreamed of so many times. I moved to Lauren's bottom lip, sucking on it gently and pulled it back between my teeth, she responded with a soft moan, making both of us smile. I kissed her again, this time bringing my hands up so I could take control of how she moved her head, her hands came down to settle at my waist. My hands went into her hair and I pulled gently, tilting her head back slowly while I kissed from the corner of her mouth, along her impressive jaw. Her neck was warm and I could clearly see a pulsating vein. I eased it with a kiss and with a heavy beating heart, I introduced my tongue to her skin, licking all the way up to her ear. Lauren swallowed, blowing out strained puffs of air as I came back up, blowing on the wetness I left.

Her mouth found mine sooner than I thought and it was with more need this time. The grip she had on my hips increased and her tongue trailed along my bottom lip, asking me for more. I smiled, openly pressing my lips against hers so I could oblige. Our tongues met with a passionate force and my grip on her hair tightened as a sensual duel to please the other started. Yep, this woman had skills. She was making me weak in the knees and my hands had the urge to start roaming, I had to see more of her, feel more of her.

I frowned, kissing her hard one more time and broke away, panting as I rested my forehead against hers, "We have to stop," I admitted between laboured breaths.

Lauren's chest pushed against mine as she gasped for air, "I'm sorry."

I laughed slightly, pulling back to look at her. My eyes met her dark ones, this time they weren't full of sparkles, they were full of lust and desire, something I had not seen and it was extremely alluring, "Don't apologize, you just make it hard for me to hold myself together."

She chuckled, "Maybe we should eat."

"I think that might be a good idea." I smiled at her and released her, tidying her hair since I was the one who messed it up.

She returned a smile, turning around and picked up two plates, "Lucky for you our food is done."

"Trust me, that's not why I'm lucky." I winked at her and grabbed our glasses. Smiling from ear to ear as we walked back to the living room.

* * *

"Wait a minute, so you're telling me that you've never watched The X-Files?"

I laughed at Lauren, my hand falling on her leg that was lazily draped over mine as we now sat more comfortably on her leather couch. I shook my head, "No I haven't, maybe we should set up another date so we can watch it."

She shook her head at me, smiling, "Smooth."

"What?" I questioned, raising my hands.

"You're smooth Bo Dennis. First the walk in the park, then the kiss at my front door, I could taste the mint by the way," I blushed, remembering how I had eaten some gum on the way there, "Then your easy ways to work in more dates."

I laughed, grinning at her, "Again, are you complaining?"

Her hand found mine and a sincere smile came from her, "Not for one minute."

"Good," I said, bringing her hand up to kiss it.

"Are you ready for your first day at work?"

I sighed, wishing that I still had more time before I had to start. My schedule would become hectic once I started. But I was still excited, "Yes I'm ready, I can't believe I finally got a better offer."

"Hard work always pays off Bo."

I nodded, "Yes it does, I mean look at how successful you are."

She laughed, "It took me a very long time to get there."

Lauren and I spent the rest of the day sharing stories about our childhoods, high school experiences, fun college times. She was a person who had so many different layers to her and I could help but wonder what it would be like if I had known her in college. We sat quite close to each other, stealing kisses here and there but we were cautious of starting something similar to what we had in the kitchen, both of us knew our relationship wasn't there yet and I wasn't sure if I had the willpower to stop myself if things got that heated again. I left her house earlier than I thought I would, Lauren fell asleep on my lap while we were watching a movie and I thought it best to let her sleep. She did look adorable while she slept through, and it made me wonder what it would be like if I could wake up next to her. That would be like a dream come true.

My apartment felt empty when I entered. I missed Lauren's presence more than I could describe and it was leaving an ache in my chest. The way her lips felt against mine was now permanently embroidered into my memory and I fell asleep with a smile on my face, dreaming of the lovely Lauren Lewis and her wonderful embrace.

* * *

"Hi, I'm Bo Dennis. I'm the new head prosecutor." I smiled at the woman sitting behind the entrance desk, her short spiky hair making her look open and approachable.

"Oh certainly Miss Dennis, right this way."

She stood up quickly, showing me to the elevator and pushing a piece of paper into my hands. I thanked her and made my way onto the seventh floor, the paper indicating that a Lisa Walters would be showing me around and getting me familiarised with everything. The floor was quiet and professional when I stepped onto it with my briefcase in hand. My hair was down and straightened, making me look professional yet friendly. I walked down the hallway, looking at numerous tags on doors until I found mine. Lisa Walters' office was right next to mine. I entered my office first, gasping at the size of it. I had my own area with a couch and coffee table, accompanied by a large oak desk that screamed money. I set my things down cautiously, this was a massive upgrade from my small office in New York. I smiled, walking to the corner and snapped a picture of my office so I could send it to my mother, she would be in her element when she saw this. I looked around, fiddling nervously and went to my desk, picking up the piece of paper the blonde downstairs had given to me and left my office.

I knocked three times on Lisa's door, waiting patiently until a strong voice called me inside. I opened the door slowly, walking into an office that resembled mine. A tall woman with long, thick blonde hair was standing behind her desk, staring at a file while scribbling down notes. She didn't see me at first and I cleared my throat, "Excuse me, I'm Bo Dennis, the new-"

"Head prosecutor, yes I'm aware." She announced, cutting me off. She looked up at me, "Take a seat."

I nodded, making my way to her desk and sat down, crossing my legs." She sat down as well, "Lisa Walters. I'm the private investigator that will be working with you on cases."

I nodded, getting up quickly to shake her hand. She obliged quickly and slipped her hand back into a file. I sat down, swallowing, "I know I'm new here, but I'd like to build a platform of trust since we'll be working together all the time now."

"That's what they all say, Dennis. Until they quit the job because of the pressure or the gruelling hours."

I frowned at her, "Well I can assure you that I'm not like the others." I sat forward, trying to get my determination across, "I'm here to work and get the job done."

"Of course you are," she said, opening a file, "Okay so lunch is served at twelve, we have weekends off unless a case is urgent therefore you'll have to put in overtime in the spirit of success."

I nodded, I was already aware of everything. She picked up a piece of paper, setting it down in front of me, "This is a list of important places in the building, and a few addresses of places you'll be at a lot, especially the library, hospital, police station, etcetera."

I grabbed the paper, reading over the information written in her sloppy handwriting but smiled anyway, "Thank you."

She sighed, leaning back in her chair, "Listen, just do your job properly, the previous person who had this job made a shit sandwich out of it and I nearly went down for it."

I sat back as well, raising a brow, "Listen, I'm more than capable of doing my job thank you."

She raised her hands, "I'm just saying, you look li-"

"Like the type of person who knows how to do her job. Thank you for your time." I leaned over and grabbed the file off of her desk, leaving in a hurry.

I rolled my eyes as I slammed her door shut. It was my first day and she was already rubbing me the wrong way, acting like I was the one working for her while she was actually working for me. I closed the door to my office, setting the file down and walking over to the window that looked out at the street below. I sighed, rubbing my temples, it was just a small little bump in the road, this was my first day and I wasn't going to let her ruin it. I walked back to my desk, pulling out my phone to call Lauren, but there was already a message from her.

 _Lauren: Good luck on your first day, you're going to kill it. Dinner tonight?_

I smiled, sitting down and crossed my legs.

 _My office is huge, I love it. Do you want to go out or meet at my place?_

 _Lauren: There's this nice little restaurant I would like to take you to. You are a fan of seafood right? Or was the Lobster just to impress me?_

I laughed lightly, she knew me well. But I would eat anything she told me to eat even if I wasn't a huge fan of seafood.

 _Maybe ;) Let's go, surprise me._

 _Lauren: I'll pick you up at your place around 7._

I texted her back to confirm and smiled as I put my phone back in my bag. I spent the day arranging my desk and looking at the file I grabbed from Lisa's desk. My first case was about a man who was suing a consultant for supposedly stealing his money. He had a solid case but we would be having a hard time with it. I had to do some digging. Lisa came by my office once more today, throwing me a cold shoulder that basically turned my office into the North Pole. I didn't understand what her problem was but she had to start singing a different tune very fast if she wanted my respect, there was no reason for her to treat me this way.

All I could think about at the end of the day was my excitement to see Lauren. Her smile could make any uneasy feeling I had, disappear.


	12. Chapter 12

**N: Goodness these reviews are blowing my mind. I'm happy that everyone is enjoying the story and I can proudly say that your support keeps me motivated to continue. But now it's time for some drama.**

 **Any and all mistakes are mine.**

* * *

My head was spinning with thoughts of that brunette. Jodie had to snap me out of my thoughts more than several times today, asking me what was up every time. We had back to back shoots today so Jodie and I helped out in order for everything to run smoothly. It was the first time in a long time where we actually spent time together that wasn't planned out on a schedule. Jodie really was the type of friend that you could trust with your life. She had been working here with me since the first few months I opened this place and she had been by my side ever since, I was grateful to have her in my life. But today was one of the few days where she got frustrated with my mental absence. I couldn't help myself, the only thing I could think about was the way Bo kissed me yesterday, the way she touched me, the way her body spoke to mine in the short while we were vulnerable together. It was magical.

She opened up to me in a way she hadn't before and it was blowing my mind. She had this way of making me feel comfortable and I was convinced it was because of her need to do things the right way. I loved that she didn't want to make me feel uncomfortable and in all honesty, she couldn't even if she tried. But she was doing an excellent job of showing me how much she liked me and I was growing anxious because I wanted to express my feelings for her as well.

Jodie and I walked into my office, dragging our throbbing feet across the spotless floors. She fell down onto the leather couch while I took a seat at my desk. I eyed her, "What did the printers say, when will they be done?"

She sighed, resting her head, "Everything will be here on Saturday."

"Good," I said while nodding, "I want to get everything ready as soon as possible. Maybe we can try and get the exhibition ready by next Wednesday."

Jodie sat upright while she raised a brow at me, "What's with the hurry?"

"I told you it's for a special guest."

"Hmm yes, and I was born yesterday. That special guest of yours, it doesn't happen to be an attractive brunette?"

A small smile pulled at the corners of my lips, "Maybe."

"I see," she smiled at me, "When are you going to tell me more about Ysabeau Dennis?"

I gave her a look, "When the time is right."

"Oh come on," she begged with puppy eyes, "It's been years since I've seen you that flushed around someone. I already know there's something between the two of you, the least you can do is spill the deets."

"Jodie," I sighed.

"No," she said and stood up, taking a seat on one of the chairs by my desk, "You asked me to stalk her as a favour, now you can return the favour by telling me more about her."

I laughed, shaking my head at her, "You're evil."

"Tell me something I don't know, now come on."

I stared at her, wondering if I should tell her a little bit about Bo. I was burning to brag about that amazing woman, but I was also a bit scared. I was still feeling guilty about the way Dyson was going to feel when he found out about this, I just didn't want Bo to know that because it wasn't her problem. I looked Jodie square into the eyes, "I don't want any judgment, Jodie."

"And you won't receive any. I am not perfect so I sure as hell won't try to judge you."

I nodded slowly, sighing while running my hands through my hair, "Where do I even start when it comes to Bo?" I smiled, "We met at the house of course. I went to England first to wind down after the war. Dyson came specially to see me, but he brought someone home."

Jodie's eyes widened, "Oh my God, it was Bo."

"See," I snapped, "That's why I don't want to talk about it."

She laughed, "No, I'm not judging, keep going."

"I met her early one morning and we started talking. We actually have a lot in common and before I knew it we were spending time together every night. There were already problems between her and Dyson when she got there, I could feel it. But somehow we have this strong connection and I don't even understand it myself."

"How did you know though?" Jodie asked.

I frowned, "What are you talking about?"

"That she is, you know, into women. I mean she was there with your brother."

I couldn't help but chuckle at her question, "It's not really something I can explain. You just know. Bo treated me in a way no straight woman would ever treat her physical equal and I returned the sentiment."

"Interesting," she said while nodding. I could see the wheels turning in her head, "But where does Tamsin fit into all of this?"

"Oh goodness," I laughed, "Tamsin and Dyson are madly in love. They have been for almost ten years and now they are finally living up to it."

"Holy shit," Jodie exclaimed, "You people are a real piece of work."

"Thank you, I guess."

She looked at me with a soft gaze, switching the atmosphere in the room, "Does he know?"

I sighed, rubbing my temples, "No, and I'm not sure how I'm going to tell him if the time comes. He's going to hate me."

"No, he won't."

I looked at her, "You don't know that Jodie."

"He doesn't even suspect you?"

"No, my whole family doesn't. My parents are very traditional, my mother thinks I turn down everyone because I'm busy all the time. I don't know how they'll take it, I don't exactly match the suitable image of a Lewis, they think I do but what do they actually know, right?" I shook my head, "They'll despise me, and then hate me even more because of Bo, but truth be told, she's the only person I'll come out for."

"Lauren, they won't despise you. Yes it might come as a shock at first but you are their daughter, they love you no matter what. If Dyson really found the love of his life what will he have to complain about? It sounds like he should never even have been with Bo. You are your own person and honestly, in the end, it's your happiness that really matters."

I nodded slowly, "I know, the fear is just a bitter pill that doesn't want to dissolve."

"It will over time, but only if you woman up and swallow it down."

I stared into her determined eyes. She was right, if what I felt for Bo made me happy then I was wasting my time thinking about rejection that might or might not come. In the end it was still my life and I deserved happiness for once. I smiled sincerely at Jodie, "You're right."

"When am I ever wrong Boss?"

I laughed, "That would be never."

"Exactly," she glanced at her watch and stood up, "You'll figure this out Lauren, I know you will. All I'm saying is if she makes you happy then fight for her. But I'm heading home now, we worked way over time."

I frowned while glancing at my own watch. My eyes jumped to the size of dinner plates when I saw that it was already ten minutes past seven, "Holy shit!"

I jumped up from my seat and grabbed my bag. Jodie frowned at me, "What?"

I glanced at her quickly and stuffed my things inside, "I have to pick up Bo, like ten minutes ago."

She laughed at me as I pushed past her and waited for her to get out of my office so I could close the door, "Date night, nice."

I groaned at her as we speed walked down the hall, "It won't be so nice when I'm almost half an hour late."

"Calm down Lauren, she'll understand."

"Of course she will, it's Bo. But I don't want to keep her waiting."

Jodie patted me on the back, stopping at her office while I kept walking to the door and wished me good luck. I felt some of the weight I had been carrying around about all of this fall off of my shoulders when I left the studio, it felt good to tell someone about Bo and me who didn't figure it out themselves and I was glad that someone was Jodie. I trusted her, a lot. I hopped into my car, cranked it up and reversed like my life depended on it. Bo was probably waiting for me and I wondered if I should give her a call. I was only ten minutes away so when I stopped at a red light I texted her quickly.

Irritating traffic and some curse words later, I stopped outside of the complex and rushed to get out of my car. I locked up and threw the garden gate open, causing it to lose its usual squeak due to the force and speed. My feet carried me to Bo's front door and I hurriedly knocked three times, swallowing dryly while I waited for her to open up. I heard her footsteps on the other side and soon after I hear her unlock the door.

The door swung open, followed by the dreamy sight of a brunette woman with warm, welcoming eyes, "Hey you," her voice danced around me with admiration.

I gave her a look of regret, "Bo, I'm so sorry that I'm late, work ran later than I expected it to."

Bo laughed and grabbed my hand, successfully pulling me into her apartment while slamming the door shut, she smiled at me, "It's okay, you're here now."

I sighed, laughing slightly, "You are so different from my family and I absolutely adore that about you."

She dropped my hand and planted a kiss on my cheek, motioning for me to follow her, "In what way am I not like them?"

I followed her into her bedroom and took a seat on her massive bed, smiling at how soft the sheets were, it even smelled like her, "My mother would've gotten a fit, she hates it when people are late."

"Well, I can assure you," Bo said while fixing her mascara, "I'm not like that, plus, I'm late too."

I straightened my shirt, "I didn't even change."

Bo set the mascara down and turned around, "Lauren, you could rock a brown paper bag if you had to, you're good, I promise."

I smiled when she winked at me. She slipped her phone into her back pocket, "Shall we go?"

I nodded, jumping up from the bed to walk with her. We left her apartment and made our way to the restaurant. I had the feeling Bo wasn't too fond of seafood but she was willing to try what I planned for tonight and I loved that, she was definitely one to try new things. Once we were at the sushi parlour, Bo and I took a seat at a booth in the far corner. It was a cosy spot and a place where we could talk and behave freely.

I smiled at her, "What do you want to drink?"

She raised a brow at me, sliding her hand over the table in search of mine, "Surprise me."

My hand found hers and my heart sighed at the feeling of her soft skin. I ordered some wine and we decided on food, well I did because Bo was clueless when it came to seafood but I kept it simple. Some California Rolls and Prawn Curry was the best option to start her off with. I gave her hand a squeeze, "How was your first day?"

She sighed with an unreadable expression, "I was good for the most part, but the investigator I'm working with is a total bitch. She has no reason to be that way but I'm sure she'll come around, she just has to."

I inhaled, "She will, it's impossible not to like you."

"Yes well, tell Lisa Walters that."

I felt the hair on the back of my neck rise to attention. Suddenly my mouth went dry and the room was too quiet for my liking. I stared at Bo, "What did you just say?"

Bo looked down at our hands, smiling, "I said Lisa Walters, she'll never like me, I just have a feeling.

I swallowed dryly, panic disturbing my stomach and for a moment I could feel bile rise in my throat. I couldn't believe what I had just heard. Of all the things that could have happened, it had to be this? Our waiter came around, setting our wine down, informing us that our food would be ready in a few minutes. I picked up my wine and let go of Bo's hand. Two large gulps slid easily down my throat.

"Someone's thirsty," Bo announced, smiling at me with suspicion.

I swallowed and set my wine down, "It was a long day."

She nodded strangely at me but who was I kidding, of all people, it would be Bo who knew if something was off and she knew that I was lying to her. I grabbed her hand again, "Tell me about your first case."

That distracted her from my reaction easily enough. She took off, telling me about the digging she would have to do since this was a difficult case. She got really passionate really soon and I enjoyed seeing her talk about her work because she knew exactly what she was talking about. The sound of her voice was calming my nerves. My foot was tapping while I tried to focus, what Bo said had caught me off guard. Bo's hand squeezed mine, "Lauren, what are you so nervous about?"

I met her eyes and shook my head, "Sorry, I just have to use the bathroom."

She smiled at me, "Go, I'll still be here when you get back."

I nodded at her and bolted to the bathroom. Once inside, I entered a stall and closed the door quickly, my hands running through my hair. I inhaled deeply, raking my brain on the situation I had just been put in. This was just perfect, exactly what I needed in my life right now. I rolled my eyes and pulled out my phone, scrolling down to Tamsin's name.

 _I have to talk to you, it's urgent. Call me._

I shoved my phone back into my back pocket and left the stall to splash some water on my face. I was feeling anxious, this could ruin everything. Staring at myself in the mirror, I took a deep breath. Panicking wasn't going to help anyone right now. I was on a date with Bo and she was what mattered right now.

I left the bathroom, smiling when I neared the booth and saw Bo prodding at the California Rolls with her chopsticks. I sat down, picking up my own, "Ready for this?"

She frowned at me and laughed slightly, "You can go first."

I freed my chopsticks and picked up one of the rolls, raising my brows at Bo as I popped it into my mouth. She watched me cautiously like she was waiting for something to happen. My smile widened and I had to fight to keep my mouth closed. I motioned for her to take a bite. But she watched me until I finished my roll and sipped my wine. I knew she was just acting that way to amuse me because she picked up a roll and ate it with no protest, smiling at me when she swallowed, "You know you're the only person I would eat Sushi for."

"Well then I feel honoured," I said, placing a hand on my chest.

She shook her head at me, "So have you told Kenzi that I fancy her boss?"

My cheeks reddened, "No I haven't, we didn't really get a chance to talk today. We had back to back shoots all day."

"Maybe I should just drop by the studio and surprise her."

I smiled, "That would benefit me as well."

She smiled as well, a loving one and picked up a roll, raising it in front of me. She licked her lips and spoke in a low voice, "Open your mouth."

I swallowed, blinking as I stared into her eyes that suddenly turned dark. I opened my mouth and allowed her to feed me one of the California Rolls, my insides twisting at how... sexy her voice sounded when she made the request. She watched as I finished chewing and handed me my glass of wine. When I accepted it I felt Bo's foot next to my ankle, her eyes stared into mine as she rested it there. I set my wine down, pretending like it wasn't having an effect on me and started dishing up the Prawn Curry. She didn't do anything while I did, she just stared at me with longing eyes while her leg slightly moved here and there. Her actions had me thinking things that were so inappropriate I would combust if I ever walked into a church again. But she seemed to be enjoying this, the distraction she was creating.

But then our waiter came around and completely severed the building tension, asking if we were still fine. Bo pulled her leg away from mine, clearing her throat, "Yes thank you."

I smiled at her and set a bowl of curry in front of her, smiling, "This is the best thing on the whole menu."

"Well if you said it then it must be the truth."

I dug into my food, avoiding her statement since I lied to her earlier and it was bothering me. The last thing I wanted was for Bo to think that I was hiding things from her but I wasn't sure how to handle this particular situation. I just needed Tamsin to call me, she would know what to do.

Bo and I enjoyed more wine after dinner. She told me about her first days working as a prosecutor and how she had pissed off many judges. I loved how fierce Bo was. When she believed in something she protected and defended it no matter what and I wondered what it would be like to see her in action. I could only imagine that it would be quite the sight. We drove calmly back to her place, and I surprised Bo when I popped a USB into the car and Shania Twain's voice filled the car. I had been convinced that I had never seen Bo smile that wide. She started singing along, and when meaningful lyrics came up she would glance at me every time.

"I can't believe you're listening to her music now," Bo exclaimed as she shut the car door.

I laughed, walking to her side so I could hold her hand, "You are madly in love with the woman so I might as well see what all the fuss is about."

We walked slowly down the path that led up to her apartment, my eyes darting around to once again capture how nice the complex looked at night with the flowers and plants neatly planted in all the right places. When we stopped at Bo's door, she turned to me, "How do you feel about maybe spending a weekend with me?"

I smiled, reaching forward to take her other hand, "I would love that."

"This weekend then." She stated, her brown eyes beaming at me.

"It's a deal."

She laughed in excitement and opened the door so we could enter. I watched as she threw her keys into a bowl and shimmied into the kitchen, "Coffee? More wine?"

"Coffee please." I requested while looking around her living room, smiling when I saw that her flowers were still in fresh water on the coffee table, but they were almost dead.

I walked into the kitchen. Bo was getting two cups ready for us, humming the song we listened to in the car. I walked up behind her, humming it with her and slid my arms around her waist. It was about time for me to start initiating contact too. Her hands covered mine, "I knew you would fall in love with her music too."

"Don't get too excited Dennis."

I felt the vibration of her giggle in my arms. She turned around, "Trust me, that's not what I'm excited about."

She leaned in and kissed me, her lips hitting mine with a bit of a force. I moaned softly in acceptance, sliding my arms further around her waist so I could pull her against me. She mouthed my lips softly and I could help but smile, she tasted like wine and it was amazing.

Bo pulled away slightly, "Stop smiling."

I giggled, "Why?"

Her eyes met mine and she nuzzled my nose with hers, speaking softly, "Because I can't kiss you while you're smiling."

I felt my heart jump at her words. She leaned in again, kissing me softly with her hands in my hair, their grip tightening slightly. Bo smelled divine, her soft vanilla smell mixed with my soft strawberry smell and they met each other gracefully, dancing around us in excitement. I moved forward a bit, pushing her back slightly until her hips made contact with the counter. I resisted the urge to smile when I realised I had her trapped and sucked on her bottom lip, causing her to open her eyes and stare into mine that were eagerly watching her reaction to my little action. I smiled and kissed her again.

The flick of the kettle startled both of us, sending me breaking off the kiss. Both of us laughed and Bo placed a chaste kiss on my lips, "We need coffee."

I stepped back, feeling flushed and bothered, "I agree."

She finished our hot beverages and we sat down in her living room. I loved the atmosphere it created, it made everything feel warm and intimate since she kept the main light off. There was just a lamp lighting up the room and its light fell perfectly on her face, making her look adorable while she sat in a ball next to me with her coffee.

Bo sipped her coffee, "I'm serious about this weekend."

I nodded, "I know, I want to come."

"Good," she said, giving me a smile that had me falling into a trance. It was like I was floating whenever I was around her, but then she was my gravity and she kept me right by her side. Something beautiful was happening between us and after my talk with Jodie today, it didn't scare me anymore. If anything, I was beyond excited about it.

Bo ended up falling asleep on the couch next to me with her head on my shoulder. She had a long day and with Lisa, in the picture, I could only imagine what shit she put up with. I carried Bo to her room, she was definitely a well-built woman because it wasn't easy, but it was that moment where I was grateful that I had to go through all the military training because we had to carry our partners more than once. I tucked her in and pulled her hairpins out of her hair, massaging her scalp until she was fast asleep and lightly snoring. A sound that had me smiling. I stared at her for a few minutes while she slept and just admired her. This woman had stolen my heart and I needed to tell her before my heart really decided to jump out of my chest.

I left her house with much protest. If I could have it my way I would watch her sleep all night because she was adorable while sleeping. She was always smiling and seeing her fast asleep with a slight pout just had my stomach in a twist. My house felt so cold and alone when I entered and for a moment I actually wondered what it would be like to live here with Bo. If she even would live here with me and make this giant house a loving home. She had the big heart to do it, and I was the one who would work to keep it beating with love.

* * *

I sat at my desk with burning eyes and black coffee. I was tired, beyond tired and it was the last thing I needed today. Last night I had the same dream that had me crying in a heap on the bathroom floor back in England. Except for this time, this time I didn't cry, I just woke up and stared at the ceiling, unable to fall asleep again. I wanted to call Bo in that moment. She had been so sweet in reassuring me that she was always there for me and that I could talk to her about these things. But I just couldn't find the words, I didn't know how to explain how everything I had seen and done in Afghanistan made me feel. So I had been sitting in my office all day, feeling sorry for myself. Bo texted me and said that she would be stopping by after work, that was something to look forward to. This whole Lisa situation had me confused and unsure of how I should approach me. Bo was important to me and I wasn't sure if this would have some sort of influence at her workplace.

I glanced at my watch, it was already around three. At least the day was going by quickly. I saw Kenzi today and told her about Bo. Her reaction was priceless and she immediately wanted to call her, but I stopped her and informed her that Bo would be coming around later today. It looked like they had really been good friends back in the day and I was sure it would be good for Bo to be friends with someone now who she already knew and trusted, especially since she was new to the city.

The irritating sound of my office phone ringing startled me. I rolled my eyes, reaching over and answered.

"Lauren Lewis."

"Hey, bitch."

The sound of Tamsin's voice immediately eased some of the overthinking my brain was doing. I sighed, "It's about time."

"Excuse me for having some fun. Why the hell aren't you answering your phone?"

I frowned and slid my phone closer, rolling my eyes at myself, "Sorry, I put it on silent."

"Well don't," she said, clearing her throat, "How are things with Bo?"

"I'm scared they'll be in danger."

"Why?" Her voiced suddenly got serious, "Is this about your text? What's going on?"

I sighed, shutting my eyes while pinching my nose, "Lisa is back."

I heard Tamsin pretend to vomit, "What the hell is that bitch doing there?"

"I don't know Tams, and worst of all, she's the investigator working with Bo."

"Oh my God," she exclaimed, "Does Bo know?"

I shook my head, "No she doesn't."

"Well then tell her Lauren, before they become buddy-buddy with each other. Before Bo tells her all about her new girlfriend."

"Well, I doubt that that will happen. Bo said that Lisa is treating her like shit."

"Oh well, now that's just great. You do know what that means right?"

"What?" I asked, sitting up in my chair.

"It means she knows Bo is with you. You know how invested Lisa is in your life."

I closed my eyes, sighing loudly, "Oh my God, Tamsin I can't go through all of her shit again."

"Then don't, just stand your man and shut her out."

"And how do you propose I do that?"

Tamsin sighed, "Just be cold to her and show her that you're serious about Bo."

I rested my head on my arm, my eyes feeling even heavier, "You're right, that's what I should do."

"Good. I'm serious Lauren, keep that bitch at arm's length. You know how she is."

"I will." I said, rolling my eyes, "How are things at home?"

"Dear Lord your brother is amazing."

I frowned, "Please, I don't want too much information."

"Shut up," she ordered, "I can't believe we're finally together Lauren, after all these years."

I smiled lightly, "Is he treating you good at least? I know how he was with Bo a-"

"No, he's being great. We had a talk about all that. He feels extremely guilty for the way he treated Bo."

"Good," I said, sitting back up again, "He better be sorry."

"Get over it puss, you have your lady now and I have my man."

I sighed and grabbed a pen from my desk, twirling it through my fingers, "He doesn't suspect anything with me and Bo right?"

"No, he doesn't. But he is suspecting that something is up since you left so suddenly. And your mother is barely holding up, she keeps ranting about how she wants to come get you."

I closed my eyes, "Just keep her off of the idea please."

"I will."

"When are you coming back?"

"We're coming through when it's your honour ceremony, then I'll be back."

My eyes widened, "You're coming?"

Tamsin laughed with confusion, "Lauren, of course I'm coming, you're my best friend."

A sad smile presented itself, and I swallowed, "Thank you."

"Lo, are you sure you're okay?"

"Yes, I'm sure."

"Okay," she said hesitantly, "But listen, I have to go now, Dyson is calling me."

"Give him my best."

"Will do."

I hung up the phone, neatly setting it back down on its place and rubbed my temples. Everything was just happening so quickly that I didn't know where to take and where to leave. The only thing I was completely sure of was Bo.

I heard loud voices in the hall outside my office and footsteps coming my way. Jodie was clearly going off on someone. I stood up quickly, but before I could even do anything. The bloody devil herself came waltzing into my office.

"Get out," Jodie spoke loudly.

My eyes widened, "Lisa."

"Hey, babe." She said, standing in the doorway in her heels, smiling wickedly at me.


	13. Chapter 13

**N: I know, I know. I completely left you all hanging with chapter 12. It's been a crazy week and school starts tomorrow. Updates will come a bit slower from here on out but I promise you guys that I'll update as frequently as possible. The next chapter is that weekend we have all been waiting for and I can't wait to start writing it. One quick thing, a few of you misread the description of Lisa. She is not the spiky-haired one, that was the reception girl. Lisa has long blonde hair. Also, great eye to the person who picked up on the meaning behind Lisa's words when she met Bo.**

 **I am exhausted and I hope this whole jumble makes sense. This is fun none the less. I would love to see what you think, you are all so great. Once again, those passionate reviews always make my day, each and every one of them.**

 **Any and all mistakes are mine.**

* * *

I stared at Lisa, eyes wide with tensed muscles. It felt like my heart jumped right into my throat because I suddenly had an uncomfortable sensation. Tamsin was right, Lisa had definitely been doing some digging on me and she was going to stop at nothing to worm her way back into my life. It was the last thing I wanted and every cell in my body was screaming at me to get rid of her right away. I couldn't allow her to get a hold on me again.

"Are you deaf?" Jodie asked, "I said get out."

Lisa's wicked grin ate right through my exterior and manifested itself in my stomach. The sight of her made me want to vomit and I could feel the bile rising in my throat. I shook my head at her, "What are you doing here?"

Jodie huffed, "I asked her the same thing but she refused to say anything."

"That's because I don't speak to the help."

"Stop it," I ordered with a sharp tone, giving her a death stare. I glanced at Jodie, speaking softly, "Jodie, leave us, please. Close the door."

Jodie gave me a look, silently asking me if I was being serious but I nodded at her. I had to deal with Lisa on my own, Tamsin and Jodie had always been guiding me through this nonsense Lisa made me put up with and t was time for me to cut her off for good. With a fit of irritation, Jodie rolled her eyes and left my office, slamming the door behind her.

"Good riddance," Lisa said while walking to the couch, shooting me a look before she took a seat.

I walked slowly to my desk, rolled my eyes as well and stood far away from her, crossing my arms, "Why are you here Lisa? The last time we spoke you were on your way to live in Australia."

She ran a manicured hand through her long blonde hair, chuckling slightly, "Oh I was, but imagine my surprise when I came back and found out you've been in the military for a year."

I blinked, had she been following my every move since then? "That's beside the point, why are you here, in my office?"

"Am I not allowed to visit my new prosecutor's girlfriend?"

I glared at her, speaking in a purposed tone, "You better leave her alone."

"You know I'm impressed actually," she said and stood up, "I never thought you were into brunettes. Tell me, Lauren, " Lisa paused, smiling devilishly at me, "Is she good in bed?"

"What is wrong with you?" I snapped at her ribald ways, "We broke up almost seven years ago, don't you think it's time for you to move on?"

She laughed, "I told you I'd find you when I'm back."

"Don't you get it, Lisa?" I questioned, narrowing my eyes at her, "I don't want you. I don't want you in my life and I think it's about time you left."

"Don't be rude."

I raised my brows at her, she was obviously trying to get a rise out of me, "I think we both know I'm not the rude one."

She smiled, taking a step closer to me, "I know, you've always been the kind one. But tell me, why the military, and for two years, that's impressive."

"That's none of your business."

"Oh, it most definitely is my business."

I shook my head, "No, it most definitely is not."

"Come on baby, w-"

"Don't call me that," I said sharply.

Lisa took another step closer to me, "Why? You used to love it, especially when I whispered it to you while I wa-"

"Goddammit Lisa," I exclaimed and turned around, walking to my door. I opened it, my jaw twitching like crazy, "Leave. Now."

"I think I'll stay," she said while walking to my desk and sat down in my chair like she owned the place, "I remember that picture of your family home, I was the one who helped you put it up, pity that I never met your parents, don't you think?"

I sighed, closing my door again. She wasn't going to leave until she had said what she wanted to say. I went to my desk and sat down in one of the chairs, staring at her with disgust, "What do you want?"

"You,'' she stated immediately, smiling at me like it was a well-known fact.

I rolled my eyes, but she jumped in, "Come on Lauren, we were great together, all you have to do is give me a second chance to show you that I can be better. I'm sure the war changed you, maybe it's time for both of us to rejoice."

This time it was my turn to laugh, "Do you even hear yourself? You can't be better even if you tried to be. Lisa, you and me," I motioned between us, "Is never going to happen again, never, and you know why."

She made a tsk-tsk sound, shaking her head at me, "Never say never, and the past isn't always a bad thing. Sometimes it counts in your favour."

Had she gotten crazier since I left her? I stared at her, "What are you getting at here?"

"I'm just stating Lauren, that I was the one who handled the papers when you started the studio, I can take all of this away from you whenever I feel like it."

I shook my head at her, I knew that she would try to hold that over my head one day, "No, you can't actually."

A look of doubt flashed across her face, she was losing at her own game, but she covered it up quickly with one of her toxic smiles, "And why is that?"

"I'll be damned if I ever tell you why."

"Come on Lauren," her fingers started tapping my wooden desk with a bothered rhythm, I was getting under her skin now. She sighed, her expression serious and concentrated, "Don't play games with me."

I stood up, "I'm not the one playing games here Lisa. I don't have anything to say to you nor will I ever. So please just leave me alone."

"What if I refuse?"

"Then you're going to wish you never met me."

Lisa was about to speak but laughter approached my office quickly, and my door flew open, revealing Bo and Kenzi giggling like two little school girls. My heart jumped when I saw Bo, she looked amazing today, her hair was down and she didn't have a lot of makeup on. But fear overtook my entire being because Bo was here now and Liza, the devil, was sitting in my chair. Kenzi smiled, immune to the tension in the room, "Sup boss lady, look who I found in the hall."

I stayed quiet as Bo's gaze fell on Lisa sitting comfortably on my chair, her excited smile with that adorable dimple fading almost instantaneously. She moved to my side, immediately sliding her arm around my waist and pulled me closer to her, "Lisa, what are you doing here?"

I swallowed when Lisa smiled at her, "I'm just paying Lauren here a visit, we go way back."

Bo looked at me, her brow rising in confusion, "Is that so?"

Lisa stood up then, adjusting her button-down, her green eyes laughing as she stared at me, "I must be off." She walked over to us and placed a hand on my shoulder, but when she did I was convinced that Bo almost burst a vein because her grip on me tightened, "It was nice to see you, Lauren, we should catch up sometime." She nodded at Bo and left the office, not even sparing one glance for Kenzi. And then I knew why Lisa had been here. She new Bo was coming here and she wanted to create waves.

"Who is that bitch?" Kenzi asked as she stared in the direction Lisa just went in.

I looked at Bo who was giving me a questioning look, her brown eyes held fear and doubt, but with a hint of anger. I sighed and stepped away from her, my body protesting in the process, "Nobody important Kenzi, do you mind giving me and Bo a few minutes."

Her eyes danced between Bo and me, her face changing into a sheepish expression when she realised something serious was going on. Silently, she retreated and closed the door behind her, the soft click reminding me of my current reality and how I was going to have to explain. Bo turned to me again, her beautiful eyes were boring into mine and it made me feel like an idiot for keeping this from her. But it wasn't that I wanted to hide it, I just didn't know how to articulate the situation.

I took a step closer to her, my hands trembling, "I can explain all of this Bo."

Bo'sgaze left mine and she sighed, "I know you can. But not right now, we're going out with Kenzi."

I tipped my head, "We are?"

Bo moved away from me and closer to the door, "Yes. We're going out with her and then to your house so you can tell me about all of this."

Hesitantly, I nodded, rushing to grab my things. I wasn't sure how she was reacting to this situation in her head because she was giving me a neutral exterior. But she was still willing to go out with me tonight and she was going to give me a chance to explain, that was more than I deserved right now. We walked side by side to the foyer, her smell was around me and it made me crave one of the kisses she would usually plant on my cheek when she saw me. We made it to Jodie's office where she was chatting with Kenzi.

Bo and Kenzi met each other immediately, smiling and talking excitedly. Jodie came to stand at my side, "Reaction good or bad?"

I leaned closer to her as I watched Bo blush from excitement, "I'm really not sure. She said we'll talk about it tonight."

Jodie sighed, "I'm sorry Lauren, I tried keeping her away from you but the bitch is strong."

"It's okay Jodie," I said as I smiled softly at her, "None of this is your fault. Right now I just have to be honest with Bo."

Jodie followed my gaze that was planted on the beautiful brunette and smiled sincerely at me, whispering close to me, "You're in love with her, aren't you?"

My heart sighed, it had been a long time since I heard words like that. I stared at Bo, the longing to be in her arms creeping up on me. I met Jodie's eyes, "More than I ever thought I could be."

"Then go get her," she encouraged with a wide smile that reached her ears.

I allowed her words to sink into my brain as I processed each one with precision. The determination in her words made me feel determined to do as she said. I thanked her and made my way over to Bo and Kenzi.

"So Boss looks like this is one small ass world."

Both Bo and I chuckled at her. I nodded, "I know, it's full of surprises."

"Shall we get going?" Bo asked while smiling at us.

We nodded and left the studio. Bo offered that we all go in her car. The drive to the restaurant had been less tense than I thought it would be. I rode shotgun and Bo glance at me a few times with a sincere smile. It put my mind at ease and I could enjoy Kenzi's babbling with a light heart. I honestly had no idea how she had so many things to talk about in such a short amount of time. But the best thing of all was that she didn't even feel like someone that I worked with, she just immediately felt like a friend, someone who I could get close to and trust.

We went to a steakhouse. Bo and I sat next to each other in the brown booth. It was close enough for me to feel her body heat merging with my own. What surprised me was that Bo found my hand underneath the table and rested our hands on my lap. Every now and then she would squeeze my hand which had my heart fluttering around in my chest. I couldn't even describe the feeling to myself of how it felt to have the privilege to be the one who was sitting next to her.

Bo and Kenzi told me the whole story of how they stumbled upon each other in high school and became friends. Even after all these years, they were acting like they had never even been apart and it was something to look up to. In all actuality I was happy that Bo found Kenzi again, it was evident that they would always be best friends and that was exactly what Bo needed now that she was here trying to build a new life. We left the steakhouse around nine and went back to the studio so we could retrieve our cars.

Kenzi poked me when she got out of the car, "So I guess I won't be calling you boss anymore."

I smiled at her, "I already told you that you should call me Lauren."

"I have no record of that," she stated with a smile. She said her goodbyes and made sure to give Bo her number so they could catch up sometime, throwing up a gang sign before she got in her car.

We watched her drive off in silence and when she disappeared down the street Bo turned to me, strangling tension flowing between us, "I'll follow you home."

I smiled at the way she referred to my house as a home, but I knew now was not the time think about things like that, Bo needed to know the truth. I nodded, "Okay."

She nodded as well and went to her car. I got in my own with a heavy heart, it wasn't pleasant seeing her walk away from me without a kiss or even a hug. I had to fix this now. I drove with purpose to my house, my gaze locking with hers behind me at every stop. Bo was extremely calm about all of this and I wasn't sure if it would stay that way or if this was the calm before the storm. This was a situation Bo and I hadn't come across yet and it was scaring me because even though I was the one with the psycho ex, she had all the power in this situation.

* * *

XXX

My hands were trembling while I tried to keep a solid grip on the wheel, hoping that it would somehow stop them from their unwanted twitching. It felt like my heart was in my throat and it was slowly expanding. I wasn't sure what Lauren was going to tell me tonight. I honestly didn't know how to react when I walked into her office but the moment I saw Lisa I knew something was up, hence the way I made it clear that Lauren was my territory. The way that woman said they went way back dug into my brain and laughed at my youthful memories I had only recently made with Lauren. I knew immediately that they had a romantic history and I was scared, scared that Lauren was going to tell me that she wanted to be with Lisa. If that was the case I didn't know what I was going to do because I had already fallen hard for Lauren, I was just trying to find the right way to tell her. That was why I needed her to come and spend the weekend at my house so I could set the mood.

We parked in her double garage and I was silently giving myself a pep talk to be still and listen to what she had to say. She deserved a chance to explain all of this. But I knew that no matter what she told me, I wasn't going to give up on her. I was already too in love with her to just let her walk away now.

We were silent while we entered the kitchen. I could see that she was extremely nervous and I had tried all night to get the message across that I wasn't upset with her, that I genuinely wanted to know what happened with Lisa. She faced me, "Would you like some wine?"

I nodded, smiling at her, "Some wine would be perfect."

She returned a hesitant smile, getting to work quickly. But it wasn't until we finally sat down by the island that I was really starting to worry about what she was going to tell me. I couldn't lose her, not now, not ever. I took a large sip of my wine and met her eyes, "Lauren, I need you to be honest with me."

"I will be Bo. I never planned for this whole situation to happen."

"I know you didn't, but just tell me, I want to understand."

She nodded, sipping her wine as well. I could see her glass shaking since her hands were currently battling the same twitching mine was. She sat back in her chair, sighing heavily, "It all started a year before I opened my studio. I was determined to start my own business because I was tired of working for other people. I was young and stupid, at the age of twenty-five I was naive and I didn't really understand what love was," Lauren shifted, resting her arms on the island, "I met Lisa at a gallery opening one night, she was chatting me up and she seemed interested in me, in my dreams and what I wanted out of life. We ended up going on a few dates and she was my first of almost everything. The first date ever, first intimate moment, the first I love you. I was blind and thought that I was in love."

She paused, waiting to see if I was still with her. I nodded, silently asking her to continue. She sipped her wine again, a smaller sip this time, she was starting to relax, "When I decided to open the studio she helped me with all the legal details and the contracts. So her name was on everything. But when I started getting busy with work she started becoming more and more possessive and she demanded to know my every move and whereabouts. Eventually I grew tired of her telling me what to do and I told her that if she doesn't stop I will leave her," Lauren chuckles slightly, hatred flashing in her brown eyes, "That was the wrong thing to do since she threatened to sink my business, her name was on everything right next to mine. So I lost it with her and left her. But after that she didn't want to leave me alone, when I went out she would text me to ask me why I was where I was. She kept tabs on my life in a way that was not healthy. She knew everything about me. That was when Tamsin put her foot down and told her to eff off. Lisa wasn't happy about it but she let it go when Tamsin threatened to go see her boss about everything. Then one day Lisa came to see me and said she was leaving for Australia, and I never saw her again."

I nodded, finishing off my fine, I spoked as I reached for the bottle to fill us both up, "So why was she at your office today?"

Lauren rolled her eyes, her head shaking like she had had about enough of Lisa Walters, "When she came back I had been in the military for a year, so immediately, she started keeping tabs on me again. Now when I came back she found out about you and me too, which is probably why she treated you so poorly. She said a bunch of stuff about her being a changes woman and that she wants me back and all that nonsense."

I swallowed. But Lauren laughed slightly, "She's crazy Bo. She was completely unable to understand when I told her to leave me alone. This is the second time and she still can't get the message."

"Well, maybe it's time to take some legal action against her."

Lauren looked at me, fear in her eyes, "She literally is the law Bo, I don't have a foot to stand on."

That was when I stood up and moved closer to her. I sat down on the stool closest to her, the hook of the island separating us. I found both of her hands and looked deep into her eyes, "You have me, prosecutor Dennis at your service."

She laughed slightly, "What did I do to deserve you?"

I shrugged, "You don't have to do anything nor is it about what you deserve. I care about you Lauren, and I'm surely not going to allow that bitch of a woman to come near you, you're min-" I stopped quickly when I realised what I was about to say. Lauren was not mine yet, I didn't want to scare her off. I swallowed, "I meant to say, that I'm not going anywhere. Technically, Lisa works for me so just leave her to me. Okay?"

"Bo, this isn't something that's going to go away just like that."

"Yes, it is," I assured, "Is her name still on the papers?"

"No," she shook her head, "The moment she left I went to a different law firm and had them go through it with a fine tooth comb to remove any marks she left on it. She has no kinks to tamper with my life's work anymore."

I smiled, squeezing her hands, "That's good, then the only thing you have left to do is to finally get her off of your back."

"You're right," she said, sounding more determined and the tremble in her voice disappeared, but she looked into my eyes, "So you're not mad at me?"

I shook my head at her and pulled her in for a hug. How could I be mad at her? It was evident that Lisa had treated her extremely poor. I sighed at how vulnerable Lauren was right now, she was without a doubt the strong woman who would run into battle any day, but it was no secret that she was still a woman with a soft heart who could get hurt easily. I pulled out of the hug, spotting lonely tear running down her cheek, away from her slightly red, glossed over eyes. I smiled and reached up, wiping it away with my thumb and pulled her in for a kiss.

This kiss was different, it wasn't like the ones we had shared before. It was even more sincere than our first one and I could feel her cling to me as she took what I gave her. I mouthed her lips softly, keeping it soft and sincere because that was what I wanted to get across, I was trying to show her that I was in love with her. And this weekend I would tell her. I smiled against her lips when I thought of having her all to myself for two whole days.

Lauren pulled back, smiling at me, "Dennis, I can't kiss you when you're smiling."

I laughed at how she used my own words and I planted another solid one on those lips I loved to kiss. I couldn't deny that I was burning to move further, but I was holding out, we were going at a good pace and it wasn't fit right now. But I was holding my thumbs that this weekend would be our special time. I smiled softly at her, "We have to be honest with each other for this to work, okay?"

"Okay, I really am sorry Bo, I never meant for it to happen this way. I was just so surprised when I heard you say her name that I didn't know how to reac-"

"Lauren," I said, lightly grabbing her face, "Stop, I'm not upset with you and I understand why you didn't tell me. But from now on, please don't hide things from me."

"I won't," she said, leaning into my right hand.

I gave her a kiss on her forehead and smiled at her, "More wine?"

She nodded enthusiastically and grabbed the bottle to fill up her glass. But I kept mine on the down low, if we kept going like this it would start taking effect. We clinked our glasses and moved to the living room. Lauren smiled at me as she sat down, "So when am I going to see your photos?"

"Oh, I don't know when I'll have time to show you because there's this really beautiful blonde that's coming to visit me this weekend."

Lauren's smile grew wider, "Oh really? Should I be worried?"

I nodded with wide eyes, "I would be if I were you, she's extremely alluring."

"Well then, perhaps I should crash this little get together."

"Oh, you're welcome," I said with dark eyes. I couldn't deny the fact that my flirting threw the atmosphere upside down and now I was feeling a bit warm.

It was getting harder and harder not to launch at Lauren and forget all about my plans for this weekend. My heart was in a race with my thoughts. I didn't know which one to let forth first, but I had to control myself, she wouldn't be very pleased with me if I made her spill red wine all over her Persian carpet. But these feelings just made me realise more how much she actually meant to me because never in my life had I ever wanted to wait before taking the next step with someone. Lauren was different, and I loved it.

"Where are you?"

My eyes fell on Lauren's confused ones, I smiled, "No place, just thinking about how beautiful you are."

Her neck and cheeks flushed a bright red. Making me wonder how it would look if she was even more flushed than that for a different reason. I shook my head quickly. I had to go, if I didn't I was going to start a makeout session that would get out of hand right here on Lauren's couch. I finished off my glass of wine, "I have to go, tomorrow's going to be a tough day."

Lauren stood up with me, her hand finding mine as she walked me to the garage, "Don't do anything rash, please."

I stopped at my car, my arms snaking around her waist so she was pulled tightly against me while I leaned against the window, "I won't."

She narrowed her eyes at me, smiling softly as her hands rested on my neck, "Why do I not believe you?"

I got a mischievous smile, biting my lip, "Why don't you stop talking and kiss me?"

Her brows raised, and an adorable chuckle escaped her throat, making the whole damn zoo stir in my stomach, "Your wish is my command, Dennis."

She planted a firm kiss on my lips. Pulling back momentarily to look into my eyes then she smiled and leaned in again. Her opened mouth hovering over mine and soon after I felt her tongue on mine. My legs went numb immediately at the feeling of her skilled tongue and the things it made me feel. Oh, my God, Lauren Lewis was something else. She closed her lips around my bottom lip, sucking softly while she pressed her body even tighter against mine. For a split second I forgot my train of thought and reacted, my leg went between hers for momentum and I flipped us, her back hitting my car and already swollen lips met each other again. This time it was feverish and hot, it was sexy and it was driving me insane. She moaned when I pulled her hands away from my neck and slipped my own into her hair, my fingers intertwining with strawberry scented locks so I could get a solid grip. Her head tilted back when I pulled and my mouth was on that pulsating vein again, making me throb in places that needed to calm down right now. But I couldn't calm down, she was reacting to me in a way nobody had ever reacted to me before. I bit down softly, swirling my tongue around and left a cold, wet trail all the way up to her ear before I nibbled it.

"Bo," she mumbled, her nails digging into my skin right through my shirt.

I kissed her again, this time while running my thumbs over that impressive jaw of hers, making me feel the need to repeat what I just did. But before I could Lauren pulled my own move on me and flipped us. She pressed me against the car with her forehead resting on mine, her breathing heavy as the movements of our chests synched up. She swallowed, "If you don't leave now I won't be able to control myself."

I closed my eyes as I tried to force myself to calm down and loosened my grip on her hair. I pulled back, staring into lustful eyes, "How do you do that?"

She frowned slightly, "What do you mean?"

I swallowed as I tried to calm down, "How do you make me lose my train of thought like that?"

She giggled, leaned in and nuzzled my nose with hers, "That's for me to know and for you to find out," she planted a chaste kiss on my lips, "Drive safe."

I smiled at her as I got in my car, rolling down the window, "I'll pick you up here tomorrow after work."

She nodded, "I'll be ready."

I was smiling so much that my cheeks started aching the moment I pulled out of her driveway. It was official, I was without a doubt, completely, hopelessly, in love with Lauren Lewis. And tomorrow I was going to put that bitch of a woman in her place, nobody had the right to mess with Lauren.

* * *

XXX

I smiled with my hand over my chest as I swayed back into the kitchen. My lips were tingling and my insides were probably the equivalent of mashed potatoes. She made me melt when she kissed me and I was excited to spend some uninterrupted time alone with Bo this weekend. It was exactly what we needed to get even closer and I was hoping that would get the chance to explain to her how I really felt about her because my heart was about to jump onto my sleeve. I smiled all the way and chuckled like an idiot while I fetched our glasses from the living room and neatly placed them in the dishwasher. The way Bo handled everything regarding Lisa really blew me away. She wasn't upset, nor angry, she just wanted to understand and that was so different from how things were with Lisa all those years ago.

I was scared about this whole Lisa situation, I could admit that because I didn't want her to ruin the amazing relationship I was falling into with Bo. If Lisa did anything to ruin this for me I would surely go full on soldier on her.

I got pulled from my thoughts when my phone vibrated on the island. Someone was calling. I rushed to answer it, and when I picked it up I saw Dyson's name flashing on the screen. I frowned and hesitantly pressed the phone to my ear, "Dyson?"

I could hear his heavy breathing, "Lauren, why is there a Lisa Walters calling me and asking me questions about you and Bo?"

I froze in place. My body feeling like it had been iced in a split second, my sells stopping their diverse jobs to take a moment and calm down themselves.

My breath caught in my throat when I realised what Lisa had done.


	14. Chapter 14

**N: I know, it's been a while since I have updated. But life is a bit busy right now. I am actually still busy with this chapter but I decided to break it up into two parts just to let you know that I haven't abandoned the story. Please note that I've been writing this chapter here and there as I get time, so I hope it makes sense. Once again, thank you for your amazing reviews, you are awesome.** **Read and enjoy, let me know what you think is going to happen next.**

 **Any and all mistakes are mine.**

* * *

The sun was high in the sky. My body felt alive and my mind was open and ready for this day. It felt like I was on a trip, but a trip from a rush of emotions. I could feel them bubble through my veins and slide through my heart. Not only did I have Lauren alone with me for the whole weekend, but I was about to show Lisa a thing or two and put her in her place for good.

I smiled as I closed my car door, sliding my shades down from my head as they complimented the way my hair flowed around my face today. I was wearing my most conservative outfit for work that usually made me feel extra confident and ready for anything, Lisa had no idea what was waiting for her. I listened to the way my heels clicked on the concrete as I walked up to the massive door of my workplace. Spiky blonde greeted me when I passed the reception desk and with a hop I was in the elevator, riding the floors to my office. The whole floor was rather quiet when I stepped out of the metal box that always made my stomach feel weird while going up and with a swift nod of motivation I headed to my office. Lisa's door was open when I neared and I smiled to myself.

I stopped abruptly at her door and stuck my head inside, "Come see me."

As soon as I said the words I was gone again and threw my door open, walking to my desk with authority and set my things down. Lisa walked into my office, the sight of her almost made me have the need to stifle a laugh because only now did I notice how strange her wannabe walk was, it looked like she was sashaying more than walking with class. The exaggerated movements of her hips and shoulders gave it away that her walk was practised and not owned.

She came to a stop at my desk, the smell of her perfume irritating me, "Sit down," I ordered as I took my time to unpack my briefcase. She crossed her legs, her fingers tapping restlessly as it rested on her other hand.

"Listen I don't have all day, get to the point."

I looked at Lisa and stopped what I was doing, "Well then I suggest you make some room in that busy schedule of yours."

Her brow raised, "Excuse me?"

I stayed quiet as I sat down in my chair, elbows on the wooden desk and my eyes fixated on hers, "We have to talk."

She got this devilish smile on her face, one that made me cringe, "I was wondering whether or not you were going to bring it up."

I huffed, holding my tongue, "You've got some nerve, Lisa."

"You know," she started while leaning back in the chair, "I had a feeling you would come running to the office to chew me out, but you won't once you hear what I have to say."

"And what makes you think I want to know what you have to say?"

"Because it's about Lauren, and when it's about Lauren someone always listens because that blonde is one in a million."

I couldn't argue with that point but the way she said it had my heart in my throat. I swallowed dryly, "Get to the point."

She raised a brow, trying to look superior, "Lauren is a messy, messy person."

I frowned, I didn't like the way she said that because Lauren was nothing like that, "And why is that?"

Lisa smiled and sat upright again, "Lauren is thirty-one year old and she hasn't even come out yet, the woman left to join the military for no apparent reason and when she comes back she steals her brother's girlfriend. Which part of that is not messy? She needs stability in her life."

I crossed my legs, my temper rising to a level I hadn't experienced before. It was the type you experience when someone was badmouthing the person you were in love with. I hated thinking that Lisa had been with Lauren, she didn't deserve her and now I knew how badly she treated her. It made the hair on the back of my neck rise in anger. But, I couldn't help but feel bothered by the first thing she said, it was a topic Lauren and I hadn't touched because she always had this way of dancing around it, and I didn't blame her because her parents were a force to be reckoned with, but I was going to try and find a way to talk to her about it because I wanted to support her. Lauren was a very complex person and she had a lot of layers to her. I was excited to peel them all off but first I needed to get rid of this repulsive woman. I narrowed my eyes at Lisa, "Is your life perfect?"

"I'm not insinuating that," she eyed me, "I'm just saying that Lauren needs to-"

"Why do you think you know what she needs? You haven't seen her in what, six years? You have no right to try and dictate her life like you tried to back then. You have to allow Lauren to live her own life Lisa because what you're doing isn't healthy."

"Are you suggesting that I'm a psychopath?"

My jaw clenched, I was growing tired of her talking in circles, "Listen, drop the innocent act. Either you leave Lauren alone or we will take action against you." I had nothing to really threaten her with, so I couldn't say anything that might really piss her off, that was the last thing Lauren needed right now.

"We, huh?"

I nodded confidently, keeping my gaze fixed on hers, "Yes. I'm serious Lisa, what you're doing is wrong, leave her alone she doesn't need you to complicate things."

A beeping sound broke off the conversation, and Lisa pulled her phone out of her pocket, smiling like a deranged woman when she glanced at the bright screen, "Speaking of the devil."

I frowned, trying like hell not to rip that phone out of her hand, "What?"

She started getting up, her smile making my stomach twist once again, "Our lovely lady wishes to see me."

My lady, Lauren was my lady, not hers. I swallowed, confused as to what was going on. Lisa waved at me when she started making her exit, "I'm taking an early lunch, I'll be back later so we can work on that case."

My jaw twitched as I watched her saunter out of my office and I rushed to grab my phone when she was out of sight. I scrolled to Lauren's number, typing as quickly as possible.

 _-Lauren what are you doing?_

I scrolled right down to Kenzi's name then, hesitantly pressing the call button. I needed someone to talk to about all of this, to make me understand. And I knew Kenzi was the one who could do that.

She picked up after the third ring, "Dammit Joe turn down the music, hello?"

I smiled, "Kenzi, it's Bo."

"Bobo shit it's so weird to hear your voice over the phone after all this time."

I laughed lightly, my chest tightening even more, "Nothing has changed Kenz, you're still my best friend, we promised under the big tree in your grandma's yard remember? Anyway, I need to talk to you, like today."

I could hear noise in the background and Kenzi shuffled away to where it settled down, "It's on you then."

I smiled, she had not changed one bit, "Deal. Lunch in an hour?"

"Deal."

As I pulled my phone away from my ear, my phone vibrated in my hand, and I saw Lauren's message.

 _Lauren: She called Dyson, he knows._

I frowned at her text. Did I read that correctly? Lisa went after Lauren's family? My jaw twitched as my phone fell on my desk, I was momentarily unable to move. I needed Kenzi, right now.

* * *

XXX

I slammed my phone down on the island with a force that echoed through the kitchen. My hands immediately curled into fists that made my knuckles appear white and stressed. My blood was at boiling point and I was so displeased that I felt ready to drive to Lisa's house and strangle her with my bare hands, she went too far this time. Threatening my job for the second time was one thing but reaching out to my family and putting my relationship with Bo in danger was something else. I started pacing up and down in front of the island, debating which course of immediate action I wanted to take. It felt like I was the audience to the debate that was currently being held between the devil and the angel that always sat on the opposite side of each other on my shoulders. My inner goddess was on the floor, having a fit while trying to come up with a solution at the same time.

I shook my head at myself. This was exactly what she wanted, she was trying her best to provoke me and if I continued down this road that was painted red I would surely spend a night in jail. I couldn't believe she had the audacity to call my family, let alone Dyson who was the first one in the line of fire with me and Bo's relationship. I turned around swiftly and snatched my phone off of the clean marble top, desperately fighting my thumbs to get them to work. I pressed my phone to my ear as I tried to steady my breathing, it had been a long time since I was this upset.

Lisa didn't answer her phone and it only resulted in me working myself up even more. I would have to go and see her myself tomorrow. I didn't want Bo to fight this battle for me, I needed to handle this myself. It would be the first step in the right direction of taking control over my own life again. These last few years had been beating me relentlessly with a fresh stick and I was ready to start hitting back. But I needed to stay level headed about this, I couldn't allow myself to let her see how it was bothering me.

The next day came quickly and I knew that I would be able to get a hold of Lisa. She sent me a text message where she apologized for missing my call and she even had the audacity to add a kiss emoji. I didn't know what she was getting at here but it had to stop really quick and I was going to make sure it would happen. I texted her about ten minutes ago that I wanted to see her and it had to happen soon, she replied eagerly and said she would take an early lunch just to please me. It sickened me, the way she spoke to me like we were somehow still in love with each other. Bo was right, I couldn't allow her to keep doing this. I had to put Lisa in her place for good, I had been letting her ways slide for far too long.

I arrived at the diner soon after I left work. And it wasn't even five minutes that passed when Lisa walked through the door. My heart jumped right into my throat when I saw her, it was begging my brain to have at it and chew her out for everything she had done to me. I owed that to myself, Bo made it clear last night. But that was not the route to take with this, I had to be firm without going overboard. I didn't want her to see that the way she treated me all those years ago left a scar.

She slid easily into the booth, her red hair falling over her shoulders. She smiled lovingly at me, "I knew you would want to see me."

"That's not why we're here Lisa," I stated firmly, trying to keep the tremble from sneaking into the steady voice I was currently nailing.

Her brow raised, "Boy, nobody is in a good mood today. First Bo, and now you."

I frowned at the mention of Bo's name. I didn't want Lisa to talk about her, think about her or even glance at her, "I'm not going to waste our time here, what you did, showing up at my office was completely uncalled for, and I'm not even sure where to start with your phone call to my family. Have you lost your mind?"

She shrugged, slapping an unapologetic expression on her face, "You're a grown woman Lauren, your family deserves to know."

"No," I shook my head, "They will know when I'm ready to tell them. You're acting like a child, being a tattletale will most definitely not give you what you want."

"But it could get me closer."

"Get a grip, Lisa. You're a grown woman, why are you being like this? Move on for Christ sake."

"But I can't," her hand fell on to the table as she tried to reach for mine, but I pulled it away quickly. She sighed, "You know we're not done."

"Did you not see that I'm with Bo? You and I have been done for a long time now."

She laughed half-heartedly, the sound making my stomach twist in disgust, "You're not official."

"We will be," I replied quickly, my hopes for this weekend making me feel warm inside, "I'm happy without you in my life Lisa and you have to accept that. If you don't leave me alone I will take legal action against you and it will get ugly. I'm not afraid of you."

Her eyes widened like she didn't believe me, "What? Is your girlfriend going to fire me? Please, I'd like to see that happen. She already tried to give me this speech and I'm so very scared," the roll of her eyes irritated me, it was a trait of hers I could never stand.

"You're underestimating her," I said while moving from the booth. I wanted to keep this meeting short and firm because Lisa had a way of turning the subject so it would sound like I still wanted to be with her. She heard what I needed her to hear and now it was time for me to go, "Think about what I said, Lisa. I want you out of my life, and if you don't leave willingly I will remove you myself."

I gave her no time to answer me. I left the diner and got in my car so I could get back to work. I did what I wanted to, I stayed calm and now the cards were in her hands. I was anxious to see how she would play them because this was my life, I made up the rules. I was ready for whatever she would throw my way.

The moment I got in my car and checked my phone, I saw a text from Bo. She wanted to know why I met with Lisa. I sighed, setting my bag down in the passenger's seat.

 _-I'll tell you everything tonight. I promise x_

* * *

XXX

I read her text, my heart fluttering in my chest at the thought of having her all to myself tonight. But I was still worried, Lauren had gone to see Lisa after we agreed last night that I would handle her. I set my phone down and wiped my sweating hands with a serviette, Kenzi was taking her sweet time to get here. I was nervously waiting for a phone call from Dyson, based on what Lauren told me he knew and I was worried, this was not the way I wanted anyone to find out about us.

I needed to talk to Kenzi about Lauren so she could help me make sense of all of this. The dinner we had last night felt like old times and I knew that I could trust her and that she would support me with this. And maybe give me some answers. I was at the same burger place Lauren and I came to the night she picked me up from the airport. A night that told me that Lauren Lewis was going to play a big role in my life. I remembered the flowers I had to throw out because they died, I did, however, keep one so I could press it. I just wanted Lauren to be happy, and if that meant I had to get caught up in all of this crazy business with Lisa, I would do it anyday if it meant I would get my girl at the end of the day. That's all I wanted, to know that I would get her. This weekend would confirm or deny my internal need for that woman to be mine.

I glanced sideways when I heard a small but powerful voice holler at someone from the door of the restaurant. Kenzi let the door fall closed behind her, her black nail polished hand reaching up and snatching two fries from a passing waiter's tray. She popped them into her mouth like she owned the place while prancing over to me. She smiled wide and flopped down in the booth, the tight leather of the seat creaking under her harsh movements, "Sup Bobo, what's the dealio?"

I smiled lightly at her, but was unable to let it grow, my mind was on Lauren and how I wanted to protect her and make her mine. I sighed, "I need to know that I can still trust you like we trusted each other in high school."

Her own smile faded and was replaced by a concentrating expression, "Of course Bo."

I nodded, feeling some weight leave my shoulders, "Good because I need your advice and I need it now."

She reached for a bag of sugar and leaned back in her seat. I listened to the tear of the brown paper baggie as she fondled with it. I inhaled deeply, "I need your advice on how to handle some things regarding, Lauren, or rather just some reassurance that I'm handling things the right way."

"I'm all ears, Bobo, always."

I took Kenzi's statement to heart, reminding myself that she had always been there for me and that she wouldn't stop now. I gave Kenzi a brief description of how Lauren and I met and how we ended up here and I made sure to include who Lisa was and why we were trying to get rid of her. When I spoke about Lisa my tone was venomous, there wasn't one hair on that woman's body that I didn't despise and she made me feel that way since the first second I interacted with her.

Kenzi stared at me, eyes wide with three empty sugar baggies next to her on the table between us. My hands were on the coffee that I ordered while telling her the story. She shook her head, "So the bitch who ignored me in Lauren's office is the psycho ex?"

I nodded, lifting my cup to sip my hot beverage. My eyes reached hers over the rim of the white cup, "The one and only, and I want to get rid of her."

"Well, can't you just go all legal on her saggy ass? You know, the whole retraining order and such."

"It's a restraining order Kenz," I said rather amused, she glared at me and my tendency to correct her poor knowledge of the law, "And no, I don't think that would be wise right away. I don't know this woman like Lauren does, which is why I understand that Lauren wanted to see her today, but Lisa is crazy, Kenz. I'm afraid that she has no limit, but then again she looks like the coward type."

"English please," Kenzi requested, her raised eyebrows told me she wasn't completely following my train of thought.

"I mean that she looks like the type who would leave if you threatened her the right way. She isn't the psycho type that will literally hurt someone, her bark is worse than her bite. All she is is someone who is jealous and possessive. I just have to find a way to get rid of her."

"Okay but just tell me this," Kenzi said, leaning forward this time, "Why is Lauren allowing this? She seems so strong and put together at work, now I hear she cries in the corner when miss saggy bags walks into the room."

"Watch it," I said while pointing a finger at her. I sighed, readying myself to explain this to her, "You know James Leroy, the first boy you were ever in love with? He broke your heart but you did still care for him after?"

She nodded, confusion clear on her flawless face. I continued, "I think this is similar to that. Lauren told me herself that Lisa was the first of many to her. Lauren was completely open and vulnerable with Lisa firstly because she was young, second because she had never been in a relationship and third, she did love her. I understand why this is a difficult situation. Lauren is strong, that's not even something to doubt, I just think she is trying to be superior towards her youthful feelings that still don't know better because they latched onto Lisa at first, and that's completely understandable and bloody relatable. Lauren has a good heart Kenz, and a soft heart at that, it is the perfect combination but I'm going to give her space to decide on how she wants to handle this."

Kenzi stared at me with intent. I could see that she understood what I was trying to say. She reached for another bag of sugar, but this time she didn't open it, she pressed on the sugar with force, a clear indication that this thing was relatable and heart wreaking, "Shit Bobo, that girl has got you whipped."

I smiled an uncontrollable smile, my heart skipping a beat, "I fell for her Kenz. I fell hard and now I'll do anything just to be able to say that she's mine."

"I think she already is yours," she said with a wink, "All I can say is that you should stay strong as well, nobody said things would be easy when you came to Canada and nobody said that blonde would be easy to get. Lauren has a past she is still trying to conquer and I think you are the perfect person to help her do that."

I nodded in agreement, "I hope so but we kind of have a problem."

"What's the problemo?"

"Lisa called Lauren's family, well, Dyson. Point is she's trying to out Lauren just to get her way."

"Lauren isn't out yet?" Kenzi asked with a frown.

I shook my head, "No, she isn't, at least I don't think so, she never talks about it."

"Bobo, how can that be?"

I sighed, set my cup down and pushed it away, "Her family is the problem. As far as I understand Lauren's mother has been trying to set her up with wealthy young men who only care about their cars and their income. Dyson and I had a falling out at their house and he said something about his parents, that he doesn't want them to know what goes on in his relationship. I think that even though they love their children, they're still trying to control them."

Kenzi leaned back in her seat, her brow creased as she pondered what I had just said. Her eyes met mine, "Then Lauren has to cut Lisa's string loose, today."

I nodded, "She's trying, but like I said Kenz, she's vulnerable right now. So many things have happened to her these past few years."

"People at work say she went to war."

I didn't say anything. I knew what needed to happen. I didn't want to discuss this any longer because it felt like I was talking about Lauren behind her back. I signalled the waiter for the check, "I just needed to get everything off of my chest for some clarity. Thank you for coming Kenz."

She nodded sadly, obviously because I didn't satisfy her curiosity, "No problem Bobo, how about some of that cherry pie?"

I smiled, she hadn't changed one bit, "Sure."

* * *

XXX

I leaned back in my chair. It felt like I was in detention, waiting for better times to come strolling around the corner. My office felt like a classroom, cold, quiet and mind boring. I couldn't get any work done today, my mind was spinning and I had no idea how to make it stop. It was like my world came tumbling down the moment I came back from the war. But even though it was ripping my defences down, I couldn't help but feel like I needed to go through this. It was time, and I had Bo by my side, I knew she would support me. I also knew that she was going to be expecting the truth from me tonight, I would have to tell her a lot of things but I didn't mind, I wanted to open up to her. The biggest thing I didn't like was that I was feeling on edge. It was the same feeling I carried around with me while I was in Afghanistan.

My dreams had stopped, but I kept getting flashbacks when I wasn't doing anything, especially today. I had locked my door so I could be alone with my thoughts, I had to sort through these feelings if I wanted to move on with my life. I wanted to go to Danny's grave this morning but decided against it, I would do that when everything settled down and I had the stomach to do so. The words Dyson spoke to me last night kept ringing in my ears all day, he had been upset and he didn't give me a chance to explain anything. Lisa really went too far with her little stunt and she ruined my chance to come out to my brother on my own. Now I was left with an angry brother who wanted to fly to Canada to sort this out.

A soft knock on my door pulled me from my thoughts, and I stood up. Jodie smiled at me when I opened the door, she had a cup of coffee in her hands with a file tucked under her naturally freckled arm, "I come bearing caffeine."

I smiled as I turned around, leaving the path open for her to enter. She followed me inside and closed my door behind her. The warm cup of coffee landed in front of me, peaceful steam rising from the cup, gracing my senses. Jodie sat down, her eyes held the atmosphere of worry, "You've been cooped up in here all day, why don't you just go home and get ready for your weekend with Bo?"

I picked up the coffee, taking a sip with closed eyes to savour the moment, "I suppose I could go home."

There were a few seconds of silence until Jodie spoke in a different, serious tone, "Lauren, I know things are a mess for you right now. But I'm here for you, and I know Bo is too, she cares about you. I can see it in the way she looks at you. You can make her the one stable thing in your life right now, don't let that opportunity slip away."

I nodded slightly, smiling lightly as the thought of Bo crossed my mind again. My beautiful brunette, "I plan to do just that this weekend Jodie. Bo is like an angel, the one I wish I had in the middle of the battlefield."

Jodie's eyes softened, her gaze dropping to the fiddling hands that rested on her lap, "I know your time in Afghanistan must have been difficult, but you did it for the right reasons and I believe that you will get past all of this."

I sucked in a tight breath, "Everything will happen on its own time, Jodie. Thank you for the coffee."

She nodded sheepishly, obviously catching on that I wasn't ready to talk about it, "The photos will be here tomorrow. We can put them up on Monday and I checked the dates, we can hold the exhibition on Wednesday?"

I smiled this time, the thought of Bo's adorable excited laugh rushing through my head, "That sounds perfect Jodie, thank you."

She stood up, nodding swiftly, "You're welcome, now go home and enjoy an amazing weekend with an amazing woman."

She left my office in a flash, her red hair swaying side to side on her back. I finished off my coffee and grabbed my things as soon as the cup was empty and on my wooden desk. The more I thought about spending quality time with Bo, the more I excited I grew. On my way home, I listened to another song by Shania Twain. But this one was different, I hadn't heard it before and it spoke to me in a way nothing ever had before. Forever and for always. Every time she sang those words my heart jumped in my chest. I wanted to keep Bo, forever and for always, I wanted to wake up every morning to her sweet face, I could literally feel her love for me when she looked at me. And there was no way that I was going to let her go now. I put the pedal to the metal then, excited to get home and get ready to see a beautiful woman.

At home, I rushed through the house to get all of my things packed in time. I hummed the song all while getting ready. Forever and for always, the lyrics and the image of Bo never leaving my mind. I smiled as I packed my last T-shirt and zipped up my bag. I took a quick shower and got dressed quickly, a simple dark brown blouse with my favourite jeans and my boots. I blow-dried my hair, loving the way it fell over my shoulders. I was growing anxious to see Bo. There was still a few minutes left before she would be honking as she pulled into the driveway and I was counting the seconds. I hauled my bag down the hall, checking the house one last time that everything was off as I walked to the door.

When I heard the honking outside, I smiled and grabbed my bag. Rushing outside to meet Bo. She was leaning against her car when I rounded the corner, looking fine as always. She pushed off of the car and met me as soon as she could, her hands landing on the sides of my face and before I could say anything she planted the sweetest kiss on my lips. I smiled as she pulled back, she tasted like mint.

"Lewis, you're blushing," her sweet voice swayed in my ears.

I looked down, smiling even wider, "I'm so happy you're here."

"And now I have you to myself all weekend."

We laughed together as we walked to the car, but when I got inside I noticed something was different. I inhaled deeply, the smell that everybody loved resonating with me. I looked at Bo and she smiled at me, running her hands over the steering wheel, "Bought it today, I love this car."

I smiled at her, "I thought you were still searching for the right dealership."

Bo nodded as she started pulling out of the driveway, "I was, but I had lunch with Kenzi today and afterwards I decided to stop wasting time and just buy the damn car, so I left this at the rentals and took a cab down to Tony's."

"Oh Tony's, I bought my car there too."

"You have good taste," she said as she glanced at me with a smile, "How was your day?"

I inhaled, looking straight ahead, "It was better than I expected it to be."

Bo nodded slowly as we reached the start of the city, "I want to talk about everything tonight, over dinner."

I nodded as well, "I know, we have to."

"I want to Lauren, we can get through this."

Bo reached over, her hand landing on my leg and she squeezed lightly. The simple action made me feel calm and the way she said 'we' made me melt. She was too good to be true. She changed the conversation then, saving the serious talk for when the time was right. I was dying to ask her what happened at work with Lisa today but loved how she wasn't dwelling on the elephant that stood smack dab in front of our faces right at this moment, it was one of the things I adored about her. She understood that there was a time and a place for everything.

We pulled into the complex. Bo parked her brand new car in its spot and insisted on carrying my bag for me. With much protest I allowed her to do so as we walked to her apartment. Her lawyer charms just had a way of convincing you to do just what she wanted.

It was a beautiful day that was coming to an end, the sky was a beautiful light orange colour and thick clouds were hanging low, making it evident that we could be expecting some rain. They were accompanied by a slight breeze that soulfully drifted around us, making me forget that we were currently in the city. She had chosen the perfect place to live. I smiled at the sight, getting lost in the view for a moment.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?"

I looked to my side, Bo's vanilla scent reaching me, "It is, there is this hill I visit when I get time, I should take you there one time."

Bo nudged me in the ribs, motioning to me to come inside, "I would love that."

"Maybe I'll get to see some of your photos this weekend," I stated as she closed the door behind me.

She smiled, picking up my bag again as she headed to her bedroom. I followed her, my eyes running over the amazing view of her from behind. Her jeans were tight in all the right places and I could clearly see her calves under her jeans.

"That sounds like a plan," she said as she set my bag down in front of her closet, "I'm not you, so I'm hoping you won't think they're horrible."

My eyes fell on her bed. The pearl-white, fluffy sheets made clouds of cosiness and her large pillows made the bed look like I could sleep in it forever. I smiled at her, "I won't, every photographer is different."

She raised a brow, walking slowly over to me, "Well I'm no photographer, but maybe you could give me a lesson Miss Lewis, different angles and such."

My heart sped up its pace when her hands went around my waist as she pulled me swiftly against her mesmerizing body. She had this ability to go from cute to flirty in a matter of seconds. My throat went dry, "I would love to."

She smiled and gave me a peck on my cheek, her dimple entering the conversation. My heart sighed at the sight of that 'Bo smile'. For a grown woman she was extremely adorable. She tightened her grip on me, "So, how does wine and pasta sound?"

I hummed, my eyes staring at her gorgeous brown ones, "It sounds like you drinking wine while I make the pasta."

She giggled, "You know me well Lewis."

I kissed her, a quick one to make a statement that I adored her, "It sounds like a plan to me."

Her arms disappeared from my hips but her hand found mine, her soft skin melding with mine as we walked side by side down the hall. I could feel that both of us were waiting for that serious conversation to start, but I knew that she was waiting till we sat down for dinner. It was perfectly fine with me. I didn't want to push Bo into anything, she never signed up for all of this drama and I wasn't going to force her to confront it. But she didn't look hesitant at all and it was calming my nerves.

It was fun, cooking while Bo sat by the island. She watched my every move, telling me about some of her high school adventures and about the fails she had when she first started cooking. It all felt so normal. She knew just how to keep our conversation away from the topic we would be facing later on and on the fun things we had done in our past. But I couldn't help but think about how beautiful she looked tonight. Her hair was down and flowing over her face and she held the wine glass in such a way that only showed off her beautiful hands.

"I just have to plate everything up," I said while switching off the stove.

Bo got up from the island and brought my half empty glass of wine, "Here, I'll plate up."

I smiled and accepted the glass, loving the way she stood close to me as she requested to finish off dinner, "You're an angel."

"Oh, I know."

I watched as Bo plated up our food. She made it quick. I could see that she was hungry, it had been a long day. We sat down close together by the island, Bo turned down the lighting to a dim shine and there was a cosy atmosphere in the air. The pasta I prepared was pretty good if I had to say so myself, but Bo got quiet while we ate and I knew it was because her magnificent brain was starting to overthink everything.

I swallowed my bite and took a sip of my wine, breaking the silence, "Bo, what do you want to ask me because I can see the question hanging on your lips."

Her eyes met mine. I could clearly see the conflicted emotions she was currently experiencing. She sighed, dropping her fork in her bowl, "I don't want to come forth as pushy."

I shook my head slightly, setting down my own fork, "You won't, I want to talk about this but I don't want to overwhelm you. You never signed up for the drama in my life."

"I don't mind the drama Lauren, as long as you just don't leave because of it all. I want to be here for you."

"I won't," I reassured her, "Now please, ask me."

She blinked, inhaling deeply, "Why did you go and talk to Lisa today?"

I nodded, knowing it was what I thought she was going to ask, "I had to show her that I'm not going to stand for her nonsense anymore, Bo. She has been trying her best to have a hold on me for so long and I'm tired of it. The days where I allowed her to do as she pleased is over, I want her far away from us." I inhaled, looking at Bo so I could continue, "She burst the bubble with Dyson by calling him, but quite frankly I feel ready to tell my family, I've been feeling that way since my last year in Afghanistan. He's not happy, furious actually. But he's not unhappy about the fact that it's you or that I am in fact different from what they've known me to be all my life, he's upset because I never told him. I just want Lisa out of my life. I didn't make a big deal of everything when I went to see her because she doesn't deserve to see how her actions affect me, but I do want to move forward in my life and all of this drama with her is helping me to do that."

Bo had a slight smile when I finished talking, and I frowned, "Why are you smiling?"

She shook her head, her smile widening, "Because I'm proud of you."

I stared at her, unsure about what she was trying to say. She got up from her seat and moved closer to me until she was right in front of me and bent down, placing a soft, warm, lingering kiss on my lips. She pulled back, her glossed eyes staring into mine, "Lauren Lewis, I'm proud of you. This is the side of you I knew would come out at the end, you are strong and levelheaded, I know that you can do this and I am one hundred percent behind you. I'm not going anywhere. I want you to know that despite everything that's going on, I want you to allow me to have a place in that big heart of yours because I want to be by your side for all of this."

My heart jumped at her words and my own eyes glossed over. She was giving me exactly what I needed, love and support. Bo's hands rested on the sides of my face, "Lauren, coming out is an important part of your life and I'm proud of you for finding the strength to do so. It's a tough decision and one many people fail to make. I know how your parents are, I noticed it the very first time I met them, especially your mother and that can make it difficult to be who you are, but you have to be true to yourself. Do it for your happiness."

I smiled at her with blurry vision, realising that Bo was what made me happy. Without her, none of these struggles would be worth it. I could yet again say that I was privileged to have met someone like her. It was time for me to put my foot down and take control of my life again. I leaned forward, leaning against her chest as my arms went around her waist. She held me against her, and we stood in that position for a while, just listening to each other breathe and the wind that was getting out of hand outside. Bo pulled back after a while, an adorable smile clear on her face, "I got you something."

I smiled back, "You did?"

She got excited within a split second, stepping away from me, "Yes but it's important and I just can't wait any longer."

I nodded and watched as she turned around quickly and disappeared into her small laundry room that was attached to the kitchen. But when she came out I gasped, my eyes widening when I saw that she was carrying one massive bouquet that was a mixture of red roses and lavender roses. She smiled widely while she walked slowly to me and set the flowers that rested in a beautiful vase down on the island. She held her hand out to me and I stood up, feeling the slight tremble she was experiencing as I slid my fingers between hers.

She looked at the bouquet, "We started off with one simple flower that explained the way we felt. And I've been thinking about how to do this all week and it finally hit me," Bo reached out and lightly touched one of the lavender roses, "These roses represent love at first sight and of course loyalty," she turned to me, vulnerability clear in her eyes, "Lauren, I will never forget the way you fell into that kitchen, one, because it was really funny, but two because the moment I laid eyes on you, I fell in love with you."

Her hand reached again and she touched a red rose, "Everyone knows what these represent, love and commitment," she reached over and unhooked the white little card that rested peacefully between the flowers, "If you read this, I can formally ask this question again, and this time, your answer will be taken seriously."

I took the card from her, slowly taking it out of the envelope. I smiled when I saw that it had a front cover of birds. I opened the card, and the moment I read that sentence I couldn't help but laugh in happiness.

 _-Can I keep you?_

* * *

 **N: To be continued... :D**


	15. Chapter 15

**N: I know, I know, I have been completely missing in action. My laptop got stolen while my exams were ongoing, so my time is limited. But here is a peace offering for my absence, and to let you know that I'm still alive. This chapter is definitely not my best work and I had to write it in a few hours since I'm borrowing this laptop. I'm hoping that you'll enjoy it, please let me know what you think. Bo and Lauren is still at the beginning of their journey, let's see what happens.**

 **Any and all mistakes are mine.**

* * *

I had figured it out. It was not really something that should have been left for so long, but it had been, and now it was sorted out and in the process of becoming something great. Lauren Lewis had spent the majority of her life hiding who she really was from her family. She had met a woman who seemed wonderful at the time and allowed herself to be vulnerable, but that blew up in her face and everything she thought she knew got thrown out the door. Then she went to war so she could make some sense in this world and do something right, but she came back with more scars than she could handle. I had met Lauren while she was battling all these things, her family was not aware of anything, neither was her brother, but for some reason her story landed in my hands and I just couldn't leave it alone. I couldn't leave her alone.

I had fallen in love with Lauren Lewis and watching her start the journey of sorting through her hurt made me feel extremely proud of her, she had made the choice to fight rather than to drown in everything, and she allowed me a place in her heart. I knew she was far from healed, she was only at the beginning of her journey, but I also knew that I couldn't go another day without having that beautiful, brave woman on my arm. And therefore she now stood with my heart in her hands, a simple question was written on that card but it was one that I needed to know the answer of.

I had this sinking feeling in my chest that the flowers were a bit much, but my mother had raised me right, if I was going to pursue a woman, I would do it the right way and I would make her understand that I was madly in love with her. I was more nervous now than I was when I asked Anna Baker out to the spring dance, but this was no Anna Baker, this was Lauren Lewis, a successful woman who could do so much better than me, but yet here she was, standing in my kitchen.

When Lauren kept staring at the card, my nerves got the best of me, "I know this might be a bit quick, and I know that I have history with your brother, but Lauren you and I have a story that has nothing to do with anyone or anything else. I want to make you happy, and show you how much I like you, but I only want to do that if I know that you're mine."

She stared at me with a longing gaze that I could not recognize, it was a look that she had never given me before and I had no idea how to read it, but she set the card down and stepped into my space, her smell following, "Bo, we have only known each other for what, a few weeks now? But it feels like I've known you all my life, and what that tells me is that I do not possibly know how I can continue my life without you now. I don't even have to answer that question because you've had me all this time."

I felt my heart sigh in my chest, here I was, planted in front of a gorgeous woman who just admitted that she felt the same about me. I smiled at her, feeling my dimple join in my joy. I couldn't say anything, I just wrapped my arms around her waist and pulled her into me. This felt earth-shattering, like it was a memorable moment that I would need to remember in the future. What I felt for Lauren was different, and I knew it because of the feeling I got every time I saw her or every time I thought of her. I had never been one to believe in fate, but meeting Dyson was my destiny, because it lead me to her.

I pulled out of the hug, but kept my arms around her waist, her smile was now matching mine, and I drank in the soft lines that formed around her mouth, "Can I kiss you?" I asked like a nervous teenager.

Lauren laughed, nodding slightly with admiration in her eyes, "What are you waiting for?"

I didn't let any time pass, and I planted one right on her. It was a kiss that sealed the deal, making it clear that she was now my girlfriend and that I had full right to treat her as such. I didn't deepen the kiss, instead I pulled away and pecked her twice, playfully portraying my joy, but she started smiling.

"Is this going to become a regular occurrence? Because if so, we might have a problem."

She tilted her head, "What seems to be the problem prosecutor Dennis?"

I raised a brow, "I can't kiss you while you're smiling."

Her hands went from my neck into my hair, and she gripped slightly, "Stop whining."

I narrowed my eyes, "Oh is that how it's going to be?"

Lauren laughed and pulled me into her again, hugging me with intent, she whispered close to my ear, "Thank you, for the flowers, they're beautiful."

"Just like you." I added, squeezing her. I looked at her, "Now that I have you all to myself for the weekend, what would you like to do?"

She seemed to have an answer already, and raised a brow at me while thinking. "Well I've been wanting to see your photos for ages now."

I smiled, "You're never going to rest until you see them are you?"

She shook her head, "Unfortunately for you, no."

And that was that, Lauren and I spent the evening in my bed, comfortably cuddled up against each other with wine, ice cream, my photos and good conversation. The evening was different from what I had initially imagined, I had thought that it would be difficult for me to focus while Lauren was in my bed, that close to me, but it wasn't. We shared a lot, kissed a lot, and bonded a lot. Near the end of the evening she even shared a little bit about her time in Afghanistan, she shed a tear or two, but pushed through and told me of the happier times she had there, and about a certain young man that made the days more bearable. She only spoke of him as Danny, and told me of the foolish things he had done and how he always tried to get her to go out with him, he sounded lovely, but when I asked her where he found himself today, she changed the subject and told me that she would tell me at another time. It would be baby steps with Lauren, I knew that she wasn't going to share everything with me right from the get-go, and I was okay with that. I was happy with every little bit she told me. Eventually we did fall asleep in each other's arms, and for the first time in a long time, I enjoyed having someone next to me with their arms wrapped securely around me.

* * *

I awoke to the vibration of my phone, it was annoyingly buzzing on my bedside table, but died down after the third vibration flung itself into this peaceful morning. I squeezed my eyes shut in attempt to wake up. Lauren's arm was calmly draped across my stomach, her head in the crook of my neck. I could feel her peacefully breathing as her chest pressed against me with every breath. Her blonde hair fell over her back, they were golden rays of perfection, and I lifted my arm that had been resting on her waist and reached over so I could touch it. She was fast asleep, and I realized that I had slept straight through the night, never once did I wake up. I smiled as I thought of the fact that I would be waking up next to her again tomorrow morning.

After a few minutes of obsessing over the sleeping woman, I carefully maneuvered myself away from her and out of bed and grabbed my phone. There were three messages, two were from Kenzi, and the other one was from Dyson. I closed my eyes as I sat down on the couch in the living room, he had every reason to be mad at me for doing what I had done. Pursuing his sister right after we broke up was not exactly the nicest thing I could have done to him, but my relationship with Lauren had nothing to do with him. I opened the text he had sent me, but saw that he only informed me that he had sent me an email and that it was urgent.

Ignoring the text from Kenzi, I got up and sneaked back into my room to retrieve my laptop, glancing at Lauren a few times before I left the room, she was beautiful while she slept and she looked adorable all sprawled out on her stomach. In the kitchen, I sat the laptop down on the island and made myself some coffee while I waited for it power up. I was anxious about this supposed email, but then I was also curious to learn what he had to say about all of this. I knew this wasn't an ideal situation, and I never thought that I would ever be going for the sibling of the person I had broken up with, but I was done feeling guilty about it, my mother made sure of that. I was a grown woman and I had the right to love whoever I wanted to love.

I sat down with a cup of coffee and opened up my emails, and Dyson's fell first in my inbox. I inhaled deeply, and opened it.

 **Subject:** Lauren

Bo,

I would have preferred to discuss this face to face but we don't have that privilege now. I know that you have something going on with Lauren, and honestly, I couldn't care less about you right now Bo. But she is my sister and I care about her. I am afraid that had you not come along then I still wouldn't have known about her, and it breaks my heart. But my parents, you don't understand what they're like, they have high expectations for Lauren, but I'm ready to stand at her side and support her whether they like it or not. It seems Tamsin has always known, I don't understand why nobody ever told me, am I that horrible? Despite everything, I hope that you are treating her right, because I will deck you if you don't. Please look after her Bo, she is all I have and I know she's dealing with trauma from the war. I know she will never talk to me about it, so please, support her.

But we do have a problem, this Lisa Walters woman has been contacting the house non-stop. If she is trying to hurt Lauren I need to know. I have told her to stop calling and it looks like she has for now, but I need to know what I can do to help, because if this continues my parents will find out. And I imagine Lauren would want to be the one to tell them.

Dyson.

I stared at my computer screen, unsure of how I was supposed to react. I had expected him to be a lot more upset than that, but he seemed to be understanding that overreacting would only make things worse. He seemed to be understanding what this meant to Lauren and that she had always been this way. I had a feeling that Tamsin had a talk with him the moment he found out, she was wonderful in that way, but I was mostly shocked by the fact that he didn't express any hate toward me. But Dyson knew me, he knew me well enough to know that I would try my best to make her happy and to protect her.

I closed the screen and leaned back against the small rest of the stool. My mind was in a twist over this whole Lisa situation, I wanted to tell Dyson what I wanted to do with her, I knew he would be on board with my idea, but Lauren had asked me to leave it to her, Lisa was not my demon to fight, she was Lauren's, and I had to allow her space to sort this out on her own. But I had promised myself that I would step in the moment Lisa went to extreme measures.

The doorbell rang out and echoed through the house, and I jumped up quickly to meet whoever was at the door. I didn't want Lauren to wake up yet, I wanted her to sleep. I unlocked the door and threw it open, only to reveal my loving neighbour in all her glory and all dolled up at seven thirty in the morning, ready to face the day.

I smiled shyly, pulling at my already oversized T-shirt in an attempt to lower it over my shorts, "Lillian, good morning."

She smiled, and molded her hands together, "Good morning dear, oh I'm so glad to see you're up."

I returned a smile and ran a hand through my hair, "Can I help you with anything? Is something wrong?"

Her eyes widened, and she laughed, "No dear nothing is wrong. I just came over to invite you to dinner tonight, my daughter and her wife will be there too."

I stared at her, my mind racing over possible reasons to turn down the offer, "You know Lillian, tonight might be a bit difficult."

"Nonsense," she said. "I know you have your lady friend with you here, I would love to meet her."

I eyed her, when had I told her that Lauren was coming over? She waved her hands, "Don't worry dear, just bring yourselves and some wine. We'll see you at seven."

She gave me no time to protest, instead she just turned around and made her way back to her house. Her old lady smell lingered and drifted into the house as I stared dumbfounded at her. I closed the door, a smile finding its way onto my face. I had absolutely no idea that I would be blessed with a neighbour like her when I made the deposit.

I wandered back into the kitchen and made another pot of coffee. After I heated up some croissants and popped strawberries into a bowl, I carried everything on a tray and carefully made my way into my room. Lauren was still sound asleep and I smiled as I set the tray down. She was disappearing in the white puffy sheets and she was breathing deeply. I smiled at the sight of her, she was peaceful and it was fun looking at her. I reached out and trailed my hand over her back, softly, so that it could wake her up gently. This was unknown territory, I had never had Lauren with me for the night and I had no idea what she was like when she just woke up, this was exciting, she was new to me and I loved learning more and more about her. Lauren stirred slightly when my hand trailed down her back again, and she groaned lightly.

I smiled and shifted down next to her, staying on my side while propped up on one elbow so I could face her. "Good morning." I said as I brushed her hair out of her neck.

Lauren turned over and opened her eyes once she was comfortable again, the moment they met mine she smiled, and it woke something up in me. "Good morning." She voiced back with a slightly raspy voice.

"I made you some coffee." I said while trailing my thumb over her jaw. My eyes were now fixed on her lips as they were slightly swollen. And I leaned over and laid one on her, a firm, yet loving kiss.

She licked her lips when I pulled away and started sitting up, "It tastes like you already started drinking yours."

I smiled while picking up the tray, and set it down in front of us, "Well you will never believe who payed me a visit this morning."

She glanced at the clock on the wall as she accepted her cup, staying silent as I picked up my own.

"Remember I told you about my neighbour, Lillian? Well we're having dinner at her house tonight, she wants to meet you."

Lauren eyed me, "Is she your Canada mom?"

I shook my head at her, "Very smart. No, I just think she loves new people."

She smiled, sipping her coffee, "I promise that I'll be on my best behavior."

We spent our morning having breakfast in bed and with endless makeout sessions. It was difficult not to kiss her whenever I had the chance to and we couldn't resist each other while we were sitting in that bed. But it had been her who stopped everything when I got carried away and tried to slip my hand under her shirt. I felt like a teenager again, sneaking kisses behind closed doors while we were alone. It was a rush, and Lauren was quickly becoming my weakness.

Once we were dressed and ready for the day, Lauren stepped outside to make a few calls for the gallery, and while she did that I took the time to send and email back to Dyson. I stayed away from the fact that Lauren and I were indeed together now, and informed him that Lauren wanted to take care of Lisa herself and that all we could do was trust her to make the right decisions. I thanked him for understanding and supporting Lauren despite everything.

I wanted to give Tamsin a call but decided against it when I heard Lauren enter the house again. I closed my laptop when she entered the kitchen. Lauren smiled at me, "Do you ever stop working?"

I smiled back at her and held my hand out, "Come sit here with me."

She took my hand and sat down next to me, her eyes searching mine, "Is something wrong?"

I shook my head, running circles on her knuckles, "Nothing is wrong. I just want to tell you something." She remained silent and allowed me to say what I wanted to say, "Dyson reached out to me, and expressed his worry about Lisa. I told him that you're taking care of it. But I want to let you know that your brother loves you Lauren, he wants to support you in all of this but he's not sure how to go about it. I just want you to know that he is one hundred percent behind you in all of this."

Her demeanor had changed from playful to heartfelt within a few seconds, and she covered my hand with her other, "Thank you, for telling me. I am relieved Bo, that this phase in my life has finally come. I thought that I would be lying to my parents forever, but I finally have a reason to stand up and cause waves. I finally have the strength to fight them."

"You've always had it." I said, smiling at her, "You just needed a little push."

She leaned over then and placed a soft kiss on my lips, lingering for a few seconds. I deepened it and parted her lips slightly, tasting her toothpaste and it sent a chill down my spine. She always tasted good when I kissed her. I pulled away and stared into her eyes, making a memory of how they fought between coming across as light but also dark. She was absolutely perfect.

"So I've been wondering." I said as I scooted closer to her, "There is this riding school closer to the mountains, and I'm dying to go riding with you again..." I trailed off hoping she would take up the topic.

She smiled, shaking her head at me, "I was wondering how long it would take you to figure out it's there."

I matched her smile, but mine grew, and I squeezed her hand, "So it's a yes?"

"Depends prosecutor Dennis, what's your pitch?"

I tilted my head, momentarily realizing that this would be the last bit of free time I had before my case really started. "Well, I was thinking I could pack us some food and we can spend our day at the horses, and then have lunch under a tree somewhere."

"How can I say no to that? But I'm making the food."

I stood up quickly and made my way to the fridge, "If you're up for making some sandwiches, I can pack us some fruit and maybe some treats."

She followed me and helped me carry ingredients to the island, "Deal."

Lauren and I made quick work of getting everything ready. We cranked up some Shania Twain on our way to the riding school and Lauren shocked me when she seemed to know the lyrics to one particular song. It made me happy, she was making an effort to like the things that I liked. I had to admit that seeing Lauren with her hair in a braid and boots at the ends of those long legs made it difficult for me to concentrate on the actual horse that I was riding.

My mind seemed to be wired to only focus on her, because while we rode, I kept staring at her hips moving rhythmically with her horse. It was extremely distracting, and the way her hands held those reins.

"Bo?"

I met Lauren's eyes, she was smiling at me, quite amused by my dazed state, "Smile." She said.

I couldn't help but smile when she lifted her camera, which was also not a surprise when she pulled it out of her bag before we left. She snapped a few shots and off we went again, continuing our walk on the exploring grounds. We did take one picture together when we managed to stop our horses right next to each other. I thought that I looked horrible in all of the pictures, but Lauren was in her element, and it made me giddy every time she looked at me with her innocent Lauren look that meant she was in her element.

This was different from when we were at the vineyard. She was more open, more free, and I could literally see her unwind right before my eyes. It was all I wanted. I couldn't deny that she brought out the side of me that was care free and childish. She made me laugh again out of my stomach and goof around with her, and I hadn't had that in a very long time. I was convinced that we complemented each other wonderfully.

When we neared a big willow tree, Lauren turned to me, "That's the one Bo."

We secured the horses to a nearby tree and set up shop at the willow, I threw open a massive blanket while Lauren prepared our lunch. We sat down, each with a glass of wine in hand and a whole basket full of food. I kept staring at her, she was slightly sweaty, and it made the colour of her skin come off a little darker than usual, the way the hair in her neck slightly clung to her was just doing it for me. I couldn't get enough of her.

"You're staring again."

I blushed, and raised my glass, "To you, Lauren Lewis, for being so brave and so amazingly gorgeous."

She smiled, raising hers, "To you, Bo Dennis, for giving me a reason to sing in the shower again."

I giggled at her, and sipped on my wine, the type I knew she liked, I had gotten it specially for her. I reached into the basket and pulled out a bowl of grapes, I couldn't contain myself and I pulled one out, looking at Lauren, "Open your mouth."

She raised a brow, "You seem to be a fan of that phrase."

I scooted closer her her, raising the grape, "I said, open your mouth."

She fell silent, and her eyes darkened, she obeyed and opened her mouth. Slowly, I placed the grape into her mouth, and dragged my thumb over her bottom lip as i retracted my fingers. I watched her chew, studying the way her jaw moved and suddenly my body was alive. There was a lingering silence between us, and all she did was motion to the bowl of grapes. I held her stare and reached into the bowl, pulling out another grape. I brought it back to her mouth and she accepted it again, but this time she closed her lips around my thumb. I was convinced that my walls were shattering it was so sexy, but I kept my cool. When Lauren finished chewing, she took a sip of her wine and closed her eyes to savor the taste.

Everything she was doing in this moment seemed to make me come alive. Even the way she was sitting, legs to the side, back straight and slightly arched, it was incredibly alluring and I didn't know what to do with myself. I had the urge to lay her down on this blanket and continue what we had started in my bed this morning, but I thought it best to keep the lid on the pot.

Lauren smiled, "So tell me more about Lillian, why is she so fond of you?"

I smiled and relaxed my shoulders, "I don't know really, she is just so nice. She is one of those people who is naturally drawn to other people, I can see it. I think I remind her of her own daughter, and that's why she's taken a liking to me, but I also think that she gets lonely when her daughter isn't there to visit her."

"She sounds lovely, and I'm looking forward to meeting her."

"Yeah well you better pass the test, she's going to check you out tonight, see if you're fit for me, I just know it."

Lauren smiled, and raised that brow that made her look like a sexy scientist when she rose it, "Like I said, I'll be on my best behavior."

"You always are." I said, popping a grape into my mouth.

She eyed me, "Not always."

I swallowed hard under her gaze, and my body reminded me that it was still heated from the previous act she just performed for me. I inhaled deeply, "Can I ask you something?"

She nodded slightly while pulling out the sandwiches.

I swallowed again, "Will you tell me about the feeling you got when you took photos in Afghanistan?"

Lauren smiled softly, much to my surprise. She set the rest of our food down on the blanket and looked at me before opening the container, "Yes I will."

I felt something tighten in my chest, not out of nervousness, but out of shock that she was willing to share it with me.

Lauren's mouth dropped open, and she looked at me, clearly amused, "Why are you so obsessed with grapes Bo? There are three bowls here?"

I smiled sheepishly, "They're tasty." Plus I liked them more now since Lauren seemed open to my games with them.

* * *

"Are you sure this looks fine?"

I smiled at Lauren as she fidgeted with the collar on her button down while I sat on the bed, enjoying the view. I stood up and walked to her, carefully wrapping my arms around her waist so I wouldn't pull her shirt out of the pants that made her legs look incredibly good, "You look beautiful." I did find it quite adorable that she was nervous to meet Lillian, that meant she wanted to make a good impression.

She smiled at me and threw her arms onto me shoulders, her hands resting on the back on my neck and I felt her play with the baby hair that fell out of my updo, "You're the beautiful one here."

I leaned in and kissed her, embracing the feeling of her lips against mine. My mind was full of ideas by now. I had slept next to her, made out in that bed with her, watched her hips move on a horse, I had fed her grapes, she was crashing my mother board and I was going crazy inside. I wanted to be with her, like really be with her, my body was begging me to let it feel hers writhing and twitching. It was all I could think of. Lauren pulled away when I tried to introduce my tongue to our shared kiss, she knew well by now when I started getting ideas.

"Why don't we just skip dinner?" I asked as I tilted my head and kissed her neck, lightly swirling my tongue around on one place. I was trying to show her exactly what was going on in my head, but I didn't want her to think I was rushing into anything.

She pulled my face away from her neck and smiled knowingly at me, "Because Lillian has to like me, let's go, it;s seven already."

I groaned when she stepped out of my embrace, and I pulled at my grey blouse, attempting to fan myself so my rising libido would cut it out. Even though I was behaving like I was calm, I was indeed nervous for this dinner at Lillian's house. It did feel like she was my mother in this sense, and like I was bringing home a girl to meet the family. I missed my mom in this moment, and it reminded me to give her a call.

Lauren and I walked hand in hand across the small path right up to Lillian's door, and I rand the bell while clinging to Lauren's hand like my life depended on it. Lauren leaned over and whispered to me, "It's going to be fine."

Just then, the door opened and a familiar face greeted us "Hey Bo, come on in."

Ella allowed us to step inside and she introduced herself to Lauren. She came to stand in front of us again, something smelled amazing, "Lillian and Maggie are in the kitchen, can I interest you in a glass of wine?"

"Oh yes," I said and handed the bottle I brought to her, "This is for you."

"Thank you," she smiled at us "Follow me."

We followed her to the kitchen. Lillian's house was your typical old lady residence. The colors light blue, beige and pink were all present and she definitely had old paintings on the walls. But the house smelled divine, of potpourri and I loved it. It really did remind me of my own grandmother. When we entered the kitchen, Lillian nearly dropped the knife she was slicing chicken with.

"Hello dear," she exclaimed as she came to us and hugged me, ripping my hand from Lauren's. She pulled back and her eyes sparkled as she looked at Lauren, "And who is this?"

Lauren, being ignorant, stretched her hand out and smiled politely, "Pleasure to meet you ma'am, I'm Lauren."

"Oh you have beautiful eyes." Lillian said as she hugged Lauren.

I smiled at the sight and in the process, Ella came forth with a blonde woman close to her side. She reminded me of Lauren, they had the same color hair and skin, only this woman's hair was chopped short to her shoulders. Ella introduced Maggie as her wife and we all exchanged pleasantries. The night kicked off with a bang and before I knew it we each had a glass of red wine in hand while sitting at the dinner table.

We were all laughing and making polite conversation, it felt like a real family gathering and I could tell that Lauren was enjoying herself as well, I was loving every second of it. Lillian was at the head of the table, Ella and Maggie opposite us, and Lauren was next to me, her hand was casually resting on my thigh it felt so normal, my heart was giddy and warm and fuzzy and all the other things being in love made people feel. Having her close to me made being here worthwhile.

"Tell me Bo, how did you two meet?" Lillian asked.

Both Lauren and I giggled as we looked at each other, and she shook her head, "You can take this one."

I glared at her, but smiled, "We met at her parents' house actually. I am a good friend of her brother, and I had come to visit. But I got in very early the morning and lazily just left my bags close to the kitchen. And this one," I nudged Lauren, "Never sleeps, and when she rounded the corner she walked smack dab into my luggage and she literally fell into the kitchen." I smiled as I told the story of how we met, feeling all of the emotions come back, 'It was rather adorable, she was wearing Star Wars pajamas."

"I don't think that detail was important." Lauren said, blushing.

I laughed along with everyone else, "I think it was." I said and kissed her on the cheek.

Maggie smiled, "At least you two didn't hate each other. Ella and I couldn't stand each other when we met."

I smiled at Maggie, "I think she was pretty mad at me for my poor luggage placing skills. Why did you hate each other?"

The evening consisted of telling old stories and laughing to things of the past. We talked all the way through dessert as well, which was delicious, Lillian knew her stuff when it came to cheese cake and Lauren ended up forcing the recipe out of her. It was around ten when we started making an effort to leave. We had just drank a cup of coffee in the living room, Lauren was snug against me, her hand still on my thigh. I started getting up, "Lillian, everything has been great."

Lauren stood up with me, and draped an arm around my waist. I enjoyed how attentive she was being, I was hyper aware of it.

"It's all a pleasure dear, you and Lauren are welcome anytime."

We said our goodbyes and off we went. The door closed as we stepped away from Lillian's house and only the garden lights kept Lauren and I company. I found her hand again, and walked close to her during the small distance to my home. I unlocked the door and allowed her to enter first, her smell hitting me when she passed me. The house was dark when I closed the door and I only turned the lights up to a dim color.

Lauren was standing at the couch, fidgeting again as she eyed me. I swallowed and walked to her slowly, my arms instinctively wrapped themselves around her waist, "You were amazing tonight, I think Lillian wants to adopt you."

She started playing with the small hairs on my neck again, smiling at me, "Are you kidding, she was ready to swap Ella for you."

We chuckled, and I listened intently while she did. She looked beautiful, her eyes were shining, as was her skin, and she smelled divine, there was always that strawberry smell. I leaned my forehead against hers, "God, I really want to kiss you."

I could hear her swallow, and she whispered back, "Then why don't you?"

I shut my eyes tightly, "Because I won't be able to stop if I do."

She removed her forehead from mine, and this time, innocent eyes met mine. There were no words spoken, we just stared at each others lips while already struggling to maintain steady breaths. Lauren was the first to give, and she leaned in, slowly and surely, and met my lips. It almost felt foreign when her lips met mine, I was so hyper focused on her that my body reacted like it had never been touched before. She strained my neck a bit, instructing me to come closer, and I did. I stepped into her and she got pressed to the couch while I pressed my body against hers. I could feel the heat between us, and the need we had for each other was palpable. I deepened the kiss and parted her lips, taking everything I wanted as I kissed her with as much love as I could manage to convey. Her lips moved perfectly with my own, and I lost myself immediately, my tongue came out to join and I trailed it along her bottom lip. Lauren seemed just as needy as I did, because she immediately met mine with her own, without any warning.

I moved my hands up her back, and soothingly dragged my nails over the fabric of her button down. She sighed at the action and trailed kisses to the corner of my mouth, to my jaw, and all the way down to my neck. I squeezed my eyes and tilted my head backwards to allow her the access she requested. Her tongue was wrecking havoc on my sensitive skin, and with every small bite she gave my neck, a jolt of pleasure shot down my stomach and pooled between my legs. I let out a soft moan and tugged her away from the couch. Our mouths met each other again and we kissed as I guided her down the hallway and into my room.

We stopped at the side of the bed, hands roaming over clothed bodies and breaths mixing with need and desire. I pulled away and met her eyes, and in that moment we exchanged the message that would normally be spoken on a special occasion. But words were never necessary when it came to Lauren and I. She smiled lightly at me and closed the space between us again.

I could feel this time that her lips were already swollen, and it felt amazing. My hands went into her hair, and my fingers sank away in her silky hair. Lauren's hands trailed from my back, around to my front, over my ribs and settled on my buttons. I felt her tug at the three buttons at the top of my blouse, she had skilled fingers, because they were loose before I even registered. I grabbed her face and kissed her deeper. Oh how I adored Lauren, and I was hoping everything fibre of my being that she could feel what I was feeling for her right now. She had stolen my heart, and I was completely, beyond hopelessly in love with her.

She reached down and grabbed the hem of my shirt, and pulled it straight over my head. Her eyes fell on my breasts for a split second before she kissed me again. And her hands came up, fingertips glided over she swell of my breasts before she removed her mouth from mine again. She tilted my head herself and bent down to kiss down to my best assets. I closed my eyes when her tongue dipped between my breasts, she had skills, and she was already pushing me to the edge. I moved my hands to her shoulders and pushed her. She fell onto the bed and I climbed on top of her, straddling her before she could make a move.

I leaned forward so I could kiss her, making sure she could see all of me as I bent down. My tongue met hers again, and I was starting to need her tongue in other places. I rand my hands over her sides, and started on the first button. She was moaning softly as I undid them, but suddenly when I got down to the middle, she grabbed my wrists.

I stopped kissing her, and sat up slightly, "What's wrong?"

Lauren was breathing heavily, and she blinked rapidly while staring at my abdomen. She let go of my hands and pressed her palms to her forehead. I grabbed them, calmly pulling them from her face, "Lauren?"

She met my eyes, and swallowed, "I have a scar on my right side, it's large and I'm not sure how you're going to feel about it."

I smiled lightly, and moved my hands to the sides of her face, "Lauren, stop. You are perfect."

She wanted to say something again but I cut her off by kissing her. I rested my forehead against hers, "Get out of your head, be here, with me."

She responded by kissing me again, and her hands pulled mine back to her shirt. I took my time to undo the rest of the buttons, and I pulled her shirt out of her pants. Her lips were extremely soft and talented, she was blowing my mind. Her mouth was blowing my mind. I pulled her up by her shirt and took it off for her, deliberately avoiding her scar so she could get comfortable. Lauren was warm, her body was heating up my own and I laid down on her, pressing our chests together, our heavy breathing forced us to move together.

Lauren seemed rather impatient, and she lifted us again, until I was sitting on her. She kissed my neck while her hands trailed over my stomach and around my back, and next thing I knew, she had unhooked my bra. She looked up at me and we held eye contact as she pulled it from my body, and when she looked at me, her eyes widened. I saw a slight smile tug at the corners of her swollen lips and her hands came up and touched me. Lauren had no mercy as her mouth closed in on my right breast. Her tongue started showing off its skills while I arched my back for more contact from her. My hands were in her hair, I was sitting on her, writhing in her lap while she gave me all of her attention, this was everything I had wanted for so long.

I finally forced myself to pull her away from me, and I bent down to kiss her while my own hands went to unclasp her white bra. Lauren was beautiful, and I was anxious to see all of her. I unhooked it and slowly pulled it from her body. And when I came closer, our breasts touched. I leaned forward completely so she could lie down again, and we came down, chest to chest, kissing, while our lower halves stated to get ideas of their own.

Lauren was writhing against me, and I was doing the same. Simultaneously, we kicked off our shoes and I couldn't help but smile. I moved off of her then, and pulled her to the edge of the bed so I could take off her pants. Her hands were in her hair as she watched me, and I moved slowly as I unbuttoned her jeans, and I pulled the zipper down slowly. My heart was beating rapidly as I pulled her pants down, her long legs exposed themselves to me and I gulped at the sight of Lauren only in her underwear, she was extremely alluring.

She sat upright, and made work of my jeans. I rested my hands on her shoulders while she kissed my stomach and pulled my pants down. I stepped out of them, and crawled on top of Lauren again. But she hooked her ankles around my legs and flipped us. For a moment I was dumbfounded as to how she just did that, but then I forgot all about it when she started kissing me again. This was happening, Lauren Lewis was in my bed, kissing me and both of us were about to make love to each other. I trailed my hands over her back, feeling the impressive muscles in her back as she held herself over me.

I flipped us back, and grabbed her hands, sliding them over her head to prevent her from touching me. She was breathing heavily, so was I, and now all I wanted was to see every part of her body and show my appreciation. I moved myself in between her legs and laid flatly against her, slightly at an angle. I kept her hands above her head but removed one, and as I kissed her I slid it in between our bodies, slowly down her stomach until I felt the her underwear. I trailed my tongue over her bottom lip again, and shifted my fingers under the fabric blocking her from me. Lauren gasped when my fingers pushed through her layers and stroked. She was more than ready. I removed my hand from between her legs and sat up, grabbing her underwear and pulled it off her hips. She was now completely exposed, I swallowed, she was absolutely perfect.

"You're beautiful." I whispered as crawled to her again.

We shifted on the bed and her head rested on the pillows this time. I got between her legs again, and her arms wrapped around me, pulling me to her and I could feel her hips lifting, moving, begging for contact, it was overwhelming. My mouth was on her neck, and I made sure to drag my tongue along her heated skin.

"Bo." She uttered into the room, her nails digging into my back. I kissed down, and halted at her breasts, giving special attention to each as she moved underneath me, growing more and more needy with every passing second. I kissed slowly down her stomach and trailed my fingertips down her side. I could feel the outlines of her scar, but I did not break momentum to stop and look at it. I moved further down and kissed Lauren right above the most sensitive part of her body. She bucked her hips at my false promise, and I kissed the insides of her thighs, slowly working her up to breaking point.

"Oh God, Bo please." She said, her voice strangled and labored.

I kept my eyes on her as I released her from her begging state and closed my mouth on her. Her torso immediately tightened and she grabbed fists full of sheets. I licked softly, careful not to break the tension she was clearly holding in her stomach. But the way she was writhing against me for more pressure was all I needed. I gave Lauren was she wanted, and the vocal reaction I received told me that she wouldn't last long. Her hand came up and rested on my head as she kept my hair out of the way, and she was half laughing as she reacted to every little thing I was doing. This was what I wanted, to see her unravel like this. Her breathing became short and moans filled the room as I pushed her to the edge, and right before she came, I added more pressure and more speed. Lauren's body lifted off of the mattress, and she moved vigorously as she reached her edge. Her chest was extremely red and I relished in the sight of her becoming undone as I helped her enjoy the euphoria to the last grain.

She fell back onto the bed, her breathing quick and laborious. I kissed her softly before moving back up. I pressed my body against hers again and brushed her hair from her face. I smiled softly at her before I kissed her. Lauren lazily wrapped her arms around me, enjoying the soft kisses I placed on the portrudiung vein on her neck. She swallowed, and started pulling the pins from my hair. It was only a matter of seconds before her fingers threaded through my brown hair and I felt it cascade down my back.

I kissed her again, and felt her shift underneath me. She guided me to lay on my back, and so I did while taking in the beautiful sight that was Lauren Lewis. Her and trailed from my neck, over my breasts, down my stomach, and onto my thighs. She looked me in the eyes, all I could see was admiration. Lauren bent down then, and the mouth I had been dreaming of in certain places started kissing my stomach. I payed attention to every little thing she was doing, her hands were on my thighs, massaging as far as she kissed down. I was still wearing my underwear, and Lauren kissed me over the fabric,swirling her tongue on my center and I nearly came just by that action.

"Jesus Lauren." I exclaimed as I attempted to gather myself.

I felt her pull my underwear down, and I waited for her to kiss me. But I jumped when her fingers met me before her mouth did. I shut my eyes tightly as she stroked me, and I trembled every time she passed the highly sensitive spot I needed her to stimulate. Her fingers circled me, and slowly, she entered me, my hips moving to accompany the movement. Her mouth closed over me as she gave me what I so desperately needed. And I encouraged her by moaning a bit louder than I had originally intended. I felt my cheeks redden at my own unplanned reaction, but I didn't care, all I wanted was her.

I moaned again, and grabbed the sheets, "More, Lauren, please."

She obeyed immediately and added another finger, but this time she sped up the process, and her tongue followed. I couldn't help but vocally respond, and I moved along with her, desperate to get to the edge. And then she did something that ripped the world out from under me. Her fingers started curling, and I nearly convulsed.

"Oh, yes Lauren, yes." I encouraged.

My body was aflame, all I could feel was heat and pleasure, all over. And my whole body shook when I fell over the edge. Lauren pushed me further and continued the heavenly torture until I had to stop her. My body jerked violently, and I saw the gates of heaven open before me. I started laughing when I came down from the high she sent me on.

Lauren pulled out of me and came up, kissing me on the cheek as she held me, "What's so funny?"

I smiled at her, swallowing dryly, "I'm in the mood for a milk date."

She laughed, and kissed me, "You know, saying that while were in bed, just seems so wrong."

I smiled, and wrapped my arms around her, "You're amazing, Lauren."

She accepted my embrace, and we laid there on the bed, in each others arms in silence, comfortable silence, with only our heartbeats to keep us company. I felt extremely privileged to have her here with me. She was an extraordinary woman and knowing that she felt for me what I felt for her was heart warming. The whole room had came to a stand still, and we were peaceful, staring up at the ceiling. Then Lauren broke the silence, she spoke in a calm tone, probably the calmest I had heard coming from her.

"It feels like, you're alone. Alone in this alternate universe where you're being tortured and nobody can help you. Seeing those heartbreaking things and knowing that nobody cares, and taking pictures of broken places, broken people, and broken lives... hurt. It hurt knowing that that was their normal. And even though I gave up this time of my life, and people say it will make a difference, I cant help but wonder whether it really will. I'm scared that I wasted my time, but then I also know that I didn't, because somewhere, someone will see one of the pictures that I took and know that they need to do more."

I listened intently to what she had to say, and we stayed silent for a whole while after that as well while I digested what she had told me. I turned slowly, and pulled her closer to me so that she was resting her head in the crook of my neck again. We were making true progress.

I kissed her on her forehead and whispered the only thing I could think of, "Thank you."


	16. Chapter 16

I need everyone to read this note with an open mind.

Recently, I have learned a lot about writing and the way a story is supposed to be planned. I got so many tips and amazing insights to what a story should look like when you add meat to the bones. I took a closer look at what I have been doing with Family Reunion and I cringed when I read through the last three chapters. I have totally neglected the rules of good writing and I stumbled off of the road I wanted to follow in the first place.

I want you all to know that I do not plan on abandoning this story, I really want to finish it. But, I want to ask you to allow me to rewrite this. I promise I will update as I go, most of it is already written so I just have so switch some things up. But the plot can be developed far better and the story line can make so much more sense. I have so many other fanfic stories I am burning to start with, but I will finish this. I just want to do it right and I want to know that I'm putting out a story that really represents my abilities as a developing writer. I have loads of inspiration and I cannot wait. Next year I'll be writing more consistently since I'll have more time, so that means there are some great stories I want to put out there. As for this year, Family Reunion is the baby that deserves better, I've been a terrible mother. Lol.

So please, bear with me while I turn this into the awesome story it was supposed to be.


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